


Everybody Lies

by the_eye_of_the_panda



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Double Identities, Eventual Smut, F/M, Golden Fighter, High School, Love Triangles, Romance, Superheroes, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:34:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 44,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27843067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_eye_of_the_panda/pseuds/the_eye_of_the_panda
Summary: It's a fact that lying is inevitable: it's in human nature. Yet it's the one thing Videl Satan despises the most. However, when she falls for the same boy as her best friend, Videl will soon find out that she isn't an exception, and no matter how much she hates it, she'll have no choice but to resort to lying. It's okay if it's to protect someone you care about, right?
Relationships: Videl Satan/Son Gohan
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

_The First Lie I Say to You_

* * *

Whenever her father lied, he would always clear his throat loudly and give a nervous laugh. Videl had never told him this. She was pretty sure he never figured out how she was always able to tell when he was lying, or even noticed his mannerism for that matter. His reactions to when she'd flat out tell him to stop lying were always priceless. So, all this time, Videl had kept it to herself and enjoyed this knowledge quietly.

Maybe it would've been better if she hadn't known.

The day of the Cell Games, long after the image on the television went out, when only the reporter's voice could be heard along with some comments her father made, there had been a violent earthquake, possibly affecting the whole world. From the TV, you could hardly make out anything from the deafening ruckus caused by whatever was going on in the fighting arena.

When everything calmed down, it took some time for the news crew to regain their bearings before they asked Mr. Satan what had happened.

"Where is Cell? And that weird group of fighters?" the man asked through the microphone.

And then Videl heard it – her father clearing his throat in that uncomfortable way, the nervous laugh – and she knew, then, that whatever her father was about to say, was going to be a lie.

"I – _herm_ – I beat him! I killed Cell in one blow! Hahaha!"

Yes, it would've probably been better if Videl weren't able to tell whenever her father was lying. Maybe then, he would still be her hero, the man she had always admired. Maybe then, she could've lived in blissful ignorance and be happy.

And maybe then, she wouldn't have ever known what a big fraud her father was.

_Well that's too bad now, huh?_

x

"Videeeel… _Helloo_? Earth to Videl?"

A tanned hand was waving in front of her line of vision, and Videl forced herself to focus on her blond-haired friend. She blinked the stupor out of her foggy mind. "What is it?"

A dramatic sigh escaped Erasa's glossy lips. "I was _saying_ , it's too bad the new kid isn't in our class. I hear he's super cute!"

"Please," scoffed Sharpner, the jock with long blond hair who sat at the other side of Videl. "They say he's some homeschooled genius. I bet he's a wimpy nerd with glasses and freckles."

"For your information, Sharpner, Kit said he's tall and handsome. And with no freckles or glasses, jerk," Erasa added, giving him a glare.

"Does it matter?" muttered Videl lazily, letting out a sigh and resting her chin in her palm. "It's just another new kid. Another new face among the crowd. Nothing special about that."

"Another _cute_ face among the crowd, Videl," said Erasa, ever so cheerful. "That's always good news."

"Whatever," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Where's the teacher anyway? She's awfully late today."

"Good for us," said Sharpner. "I _really_ don't feel like hearing about dead philosophers now."

"Do you ever?" said Erasa ironically, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, there was a robbery this morning, right? Everyone's been talking about this golden-haired fighter today."

A frown creased Videl's brow as her mind replayed what had happened this morning. When she'd arrived at the bank just before school today, everything had already been taken care of. The robbers' getaway jeep was turned upside down and all of them were knocked out or just lying about groaning in pain. So she'd asked the first person she saw what had happened, a tall boy with jet black hair that looked unusually spiky.

"Did you see what happened?" she'd asked. But the boy had tensed and rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort.

"Uhm, I… N-No, I just got here. I didn't see anything, sorry," he'd replied.

Videl's frown deepened at the memory. It had been a lie, that much was obvious. For a reason she couldn't comprehend, the boy had lied. Could he be an accomplice of the criminals? Or of that golden-haired fighter, perhaps? Both seemed unlikely. Maybe he'd just been too scared to convey what he'd seen. In any case, it bothered Videl that he'd lied. She really couldn't stand liars.

It was bad enough she had to share the same roof with the biggest of them all.

Her friends were still talking about that golden-haired superhero, and Videl tuned them out, hoping the teacher would hurry up. She cared a lot about her friends, but sometimes they were just so _noisy_. Perhaps she should go to the library after class: that was the one place she was sure to find peace and quiet.

ooOoo

When Erasa didn't join her at lunch break, Videl didn't think much of it. She figured that the blonde most likely went to have lunch with her friends from class A, the one into which the new kid got today. Knowing her bubbly friend, she wouldn't be surprised if Erasa had already met the guy and befriended him by now. Erasa could become friends with pretty much anyone; the fact that she was Videl's best friend should be proof enough.

She sat in the shade of a tall tree, the leaves rustling gently in the passing breeze every now and then. The calming atmosphere was welcoming. She didn't mind having lunch by herself. Besides, she'd been especially cranky lately.

Well, she'd never liked this time of the year. Not for seven years, really. The anniversary of the Cell Games was quickly approaching, and while for the rest of the world it was a day for celebration, for Videl it only brought back bad memories. The date would forever be a reminder of the biggest, ugliest lie ever told in history. And of the day she involuntarily became a part of it.

It sickened her.

The turkey sandwich left a bitter taste on her tongue. Or maybe she was simply in too much of a sour mood to really enjoy it. Nonetheless, Videl forced herself to finish it to the last bite. As a fighter, she needed the energy, as she never knew when the police force might need her help. She couldn't really afford to be picky.

As she munched the last bites of the sandwich, Erasa joined her, flopping down beside her on the grass under their usual tree. The brunette lazily glanced at her friend, who was all smiles and blushes, and couldn't help rolling her eyes.

"I take it he's your type," she stated matter-of-factly, engaging the conversation before Erasa could start squealing. It was a hopeless cause, though.

"He's so dreamy!" she exclaimed with stars in her eyes. "I think I'm in loooove…!"

Videl shook her head chuckling. Trust Erasa to fall for a guy in five minutes. "So what's he like?" she asked – not that it really mattered. But her blonde friend would've started babbling on and on about that guy anyway. Might as well take part in this girly talk, it made things slightly less boring.

"He's tall, with broad shoulders, and soft eyes and–oh my God, that smile! I felt like melting! Boy, I wish he was in our class!" She sighed longingly, staring off aimlessly.

"Like that's ever stopped you," said Videl, but Erasa sighed again.

"The girls in his class are already all over him, that's a lot of competition. And I can only see him during breaks and at lunch, it's a huge disadvantage," she explained. "And he's sooo handsome, too. Kit and the girls in his class are so lucky, I'm so envious…! You know he actually is a genius, like, he got perfect scores on his entrance exams, can you believe that? But he's so humble about it. Ahh, and he's so nice and sweet – and did I tell you about his smile? Gosh, that smile…"

 _And here we go…_ For the rest of the lunch break, Videl listened to her friend's rambling about her new crush. And while it was repetitive and kind of pathetic at times, it at least served as a distraction to her dark mood. She could always count on Erasa for that.

"So what's his name anyway?" asked Videl, stopping her friend in her tracks whilst she gushed over his "dark, handsome eyes" this time.

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" giggled Erasa. "It's Gohan." Then she sighed dreamily, staring off to the sky. "Gohan…"

Videl rolled her eyes and grinned. Okay, she had to admit, watching Erasa go on hopeless romantic mode was kind of fun, too.

ooOoo

Her forehead bumped on the wooden desk, and a tired, irritated sigh escaped her lips. Videl was tempted to keep bumping her head against the table, over and over again, to hopefully relieve some of her frustration… But she was in the library, and the girl couldn't afford to be kicked out of the only place that could provide the peace and quiet she needed so much.

After listening to Erasa's lovesick blabbering about this new guy for the past week, the fun of the situation had long gone. It was her _only_ topic of conversation as of late, for god's sake! _Ugh!_ It was always "Gohan this" and "Gohan that", and "Gohan did this" and "Ohmygosh Gohan smiled at me!"

_Who freaking cares?!_

She'd had enough. Enough! If she heard the name "Gohan" one more time, she was going to snap! Seriously, how much could a girl ramble on about some guy? Enough already!

" _Just ask him out!"_ she kept telling Erasa, but she always responded that she "wanted to make sure that Gohan liked her back first."

"Goddammit Erasa," Videl groaned to herself, covering her head by wrapping her arms around it.

This had to stop. Somehow. Someway. She had to find a way to make Erasa finally _shut up_ about this stupid Gohan guy. It couldn't keep going like that. There had to be something she could do to _make it stop_.

For right now, though, Videl needed _silence_. Long and undisturbed silence. Thank god for the library.

Seldom bouts of noise disturbed the quietness; some shuffling here, slow steps there, a discreet cough over there. Nothing really bothering. The library usually had little to no visitors, and for that reason, it was Videl's favorite place in school. She didn't move from her position and, finally, was able to relax.

"Uhm…"

From inside the comfortable darkness provided by her arms, the corner of Videl's mouth twitched at the unwanted noise.

"Are… are you all right?" asked the hesitant voice of the hindrance.

"Go away," she muttered, her words somewhat muffled by her current position. Like she was going to move because of some stupid boy who couldn't see he was being a bother.

"Do you have a headache?" he went on, sounding worried. "I can accompany you to the infirmary if you need."

What the heck, was he _serious_? Why was he still there bothering her? Couldn't he see that she wanted to be left alone? She wanted silence, and she came to the library for that purpose. It shouldn't be that hard to find peace in here! Why couldn't that idiot get the hint? Well, whatever. Maybe ignoring the pest will make him go away.

Or not.

"Erm, hello?" he insisted, his concern obvious. "Maybe I should get a teacher…"

"Just go away dammit!" she snapped, tightening her arms around her head in a weak attempt to block the sound of the annoying voice. "I want to be alone."

No more sound followed. But while it should have been a relief, the guy still hadn't left; the chair adjacent to hers creaked ever so slightly as he sat down, as noiselessly as possible. Then she heard some shuffling, and pages turning. Was he reading something? Why, why did he choose to sit right next to her to read? There were plenty of other empty seats, all around them; why here of all places? Why couldn't he just go the hell away?!

It wasn't logical, but for some reason his sole presence was unnerving. She'd hoped to relax, but now because of that idiot, her mood was worsening. Damn that guy. Stupid, retarded moron. _Just get lost already,_ she screamed in her head, for want of yelling at him in the face. Stupid library rules.

She peeked through her crossed arms to get a glimpse of her hindrance. Her features hardened into a scowl as she glared openly at him; the oblivious idiot didn't even see it, still reading his damn book.

He was wearing glasses. How stereotypical. She squinted slightly, the lower part of her face still hidden in between her arms, as she studied his features. You know, so that she remembered whose face to avoid at all cost when she wanted to be left alone. A straight nose, thin lips, nice cheekbones, dark eyes – she couldn't quite see if they were black or brown because of his thick frames. His black, spiky hair caught her attention. She frowned in thought. It looked familiar, somehow, yet such natural-looking spikes weren't common at all. Now, where had she seen hair like this before…?

She ended up shrugging and burying her head back into the blackness of her arms. Who cared anyway. He was just another face in the crowd; a good looking one, she would give him that, but nothing special. He should be Erasa's type, she mused – well, if her friend hadn't been so engrossed with that Gohan guy, that is.

And then something clicked in her mind. That jet-black, spiky hair. She remembered now. To make sure, she looked up slightly from her arms, like before, and focused her sight on that weird hair of his again. And then looked at his face.

Yep, that was the same guy all right. The liar from the bank robbery that other day. Plus the glasses.

At that moment, his eyes met hers directly. A sheepish smile formed on his lips. "Hi."

 _Idiot_ , she thought. Okay, so he was pretty cute. He was still an idiot though. And a liar, she reminded herself.

She sat up, crossing her arms over her chest as she switched to interrogatory mode. "You were by the bank robbery the other day. I asked you what'd happened, remember?"

His eyes widened slightly, then he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Uhm, I don't remember you."

 _Liar,_ she thought to herself. And he was really bad at lying, at that. "Nevermind that. Why'd you lie about not seeing what had happened?"

Straight to the point, that was how she worked. And just from his reaction, she didn't have to hear him confirm her accusation to know that she was right. His eyes widened completely this time, a look of panic crossing his face as he abruptly sat up straight. He tried to cover it up, scratching the back of his head again.

"I, uh… I don't know what you're talking about…" he said, trying, and failing to sound confident. Ugh, what a terrible liar. It was so obvious, he might as well shut up and not try to lie at all.

"What's your name?" she inquired, interrogatory mode still on.

He was about to answer, but then he paused. "What's yours?" he asked back instead.

The ghost of a smile stretched her lips. So he did have some spine in him, after all. "Videl," she answered, humoring him.

"I'm Gohan," he said, seemed to relax somewhat. He took off his glasses, set them on the desk and extended his hand out to her. "Nice to meet you, Videl."

She was rooted on the spot when she heard his name. _This_ was Gohan? THE Gohan? The guy Erasa had been completely crazy about ever since she met him? THIS?

And then she realized: this guy… _he_ was the reason Erasa had been driving her nuts all this time!

While his hand was still held out, Videl scowled at him. Then, she got up and walked away angrily, too upset to care that she was being rude.

And he wasn't even _that_ cute!

x

"… What's her problem?" Gohan muttered to himself, reaching for his reading glasses and getting back into his book.

But he couldn't focus now. What _was_ her problem? First, she told him off when he was only worrying for her, then she gave him mean glances a couple times (did she really think he wouldn't notice?). Then, she all but _accused_ him of lying with no real proof (yes, she was actually right, but that was not the point!), asked for his name bluntly and finally, she left abruptly when he was just being polite, whereas she had been nothing but rude.

He had been told that high school kids could be mean and even pretty cruel. So far, this girl was the worst he'd met.

Well, he'd learned his lesson. He should just mind his own business from now on and let people deal with their own problems by themselves. With that thought in mind, and even though he was well aware he couldn't actually live up to that resolution, he turned once more to his book, and began to read. Or tried to.

He still couldn't focus. Damn that girl, she was so infuriating!

"Ugh!" he groaned.

Putting away his book in his satchel, Gohan stood up and walked out of the school library.

And there he'd thought he could relax in a place like this. That girl actually managed to get _him_ upset! And that usually took _a lot_.

Damn that Videl. He would be sure to avoid her next time he saw her – she was a real pain!


	2. Do You Ever Smile?

Chapter Two

_Do You Ever Smile?_

The nerve of that girl! She was _unbelievable_. Wasn't she ever taught good manners? It was the second time now, and, Gohan promised himself, the last time she got him so worked up. Why was she so rude to him?

He'd been helping out the library lady for the past couple weeks, as an after-school activity. Apparently, it was mandatory to be in at least one club after school, and since he didn't really want to join any club he'd asked the library lady, Mrs Huston, if he could help her out instead. Luckily for him, the aging lady had readily agreed, welcoming the help. Unluckily for him, however, the library seemed to be this Videl girl's favorite place to hang out.

When Gohan saw her again the first time, he made sure to stay out of her field of vision and minded his own business, which turned out pretty easy since all she did was rest her head against the desk, much like the first time he'd seen her here. But, for some unknown reason, while he busied himself around the library, arranging books in the right sections, putting away the donated ones, dusting the shelves and so on, his eyes kept straying towards her, unable not to worry when she looked so completely exhausted and discouraged, time after time. Yes, she'd been rude to him, and yes, he'd decided not to get involved with her again, but he couldn't help feeling concerned about her well-being.

He really should've just minded his own business.

"Erm, hello," he said, finally mustering the courage to talk to her again. She lazily raised her head to glance at him, and then her expression hardened.

"You again," she said, straightening up. She crossed her arms, clearly on the defensive, and frowned at him. "What do you want?"

"Well aren't you pleasant," he sighed, pulling a chair to sit down. She scowled.

"Why are you here?" she asked. If eyes could kill…

"I help out Mrs Huston for extra credit," he explained. "I've been seeing you a lot around here, and I can't help but notice how you always look so…" He hesitated.

"What? Spit it out," she snapped impatiently. Gosh, would it kill her to be a little nicer?

"…Miserable."

What he said didn't seem to please her at all, because she only scowled harder. Was this girl actually capable of smiling genuinely? Looking at her now, it seemed highly unlikely.

"And so what, you took _pity_ on me?" she spat in disgust. "Now that's just what I needed. Why can't you just leave me be? Do you think bothering me every time I try to relax is going to help? I have enough on my plate as is, and I don't need _you_ , of all people, to come nagging me because I look _miserable_. I don't need your pity, jerk."

She stood up angrily, her chair grating loudly on the wooden floor and nearly falling over. When she turned around to leave, Gohan suddenly got up to hold her back, grabbing her forearm, unwilling to let her go with such a poor opinion of him.

"I'm just worried about you," he said softly, looking into her eyes. Deep blue eyes. "If it were anyone else, I'd be worried about them too. That's just how I am. It's got nothing to do with pity."

She freed her arm from his hold swiftly, glaring at him fiercely. "Well you go worry about your friends and forget about me. I don't even know you."

She turned to leave again, and this time Gohan didn't get in her way. He watched her walk out of the library, his brow deeply furrowed. She had done it again, and this time he felt even more upset. He was actually pretty pissed off at this girl, at her vicious tongue and harsh eyes. What did he ever do to her to be treated like this? Why couldn't she make one sentence without sending him daggers with her eyes? What was wrong with her?

And just why did he go and talk to her again? That girl's case was hopeless; he shouldn't have bothered with her at all. And from now on, he certainly wasn't going to make that same mistake again.

"Looks like you got turned down," said the library lady in sympathy, coming from behind him. She patted his arm. "Don't you worry, Gohan, you're a handsome young man, I'm sure there's plenty of other girls who'd be happy to be your girlfriend."

"Wh-What? _Girlfriend_?" he squeaked, his face flaring up, startled by Mrs Huston's _very wrong_ assumption. "You got it all wrong, Mrs Huston! I didn't ask her out, I don't even know her. I don't even _like_ her," he added as an afterthought. It was true; how could he like such a mean person?

At lunch, some girls from his class as well as from other classes joined him, as they had pretty much every day since he started school here. He usually didn't mind, but today he was still pretty upset because of Videl and he just wanted to be left alone.

They noticed his sour mood, of course, and when they asked him what was wrong, he figured he might feel better if he talked about it.

"Videl?" said one of the girls, Penn. "You mean, Videl Satan? Ugh, that girl's such a spoiled brat. I'm not surprised at all."

" _Satan_?" Gohan repeated out loud. "Could she be…?"

"Mr Satan's only daughter, yeah," another girl, Kit replied. "I think Erasa's her only friend. I wonder _how_ Erasa can put up with her, she's always so rude."

"She helps the police forces fight crime in the city, you know," said another girl, Papel. "I think she just does that so she can beat up people and not get in trouble. Sometimes she overdoes it, too; I heard a lot of crooks end up in the hospital before they can be taken to the justice."

Gohan blinked, processing the new information. He had no idea Mr Satan even had a daughter, and he would never have guessed Videl could have been related to him. He wondered if Erasa knew why she'd been so down and cranky – and then reminded himself that he wasn't supposed to worry about her anymore. Besides, where was Erasa today? She could probably tell him the kind of person Videl really was; he was getting sick of these girls bad mouthing her. No matter how mean Videl had been to him, she had done nothing to them and they shouldn't be talking like that behind her back.

"And did you see the way she dresses? You'd think with a father as rich as Mr Satan she could afford better clothes."

"I know, right? She could at least wear a bit of makeup, that wouldn't hurt her."

"Tell me about it. It's like she forgot she's a girl."

Gohan frowned. What did _that_ have to do with anything? And there he'd thought Videl was the worst; those girls just placed first in her stead now. How could they say such cruel things about a girl they didn't even know personally? What did Videl ever do to them? However rude she was, Gohan didn't think she deserved to be badmouthed like this.

He decided he'd had enough; he was just getting more worked up because of them. So he made up some excuse and left, going back to the library.

Today really wasn't his day.

ooOoo

Since it had been a while, Erasa had decided to join Videl for lunch today. But while the latter should have been happy to hang out with her best friend, Erasa was still not over Gohan and he was, yet again, the only thing she could talk about.

And Videl had had enough.

Seeing as Erasa was still babbling on and on, and _on_ , about this guy who wasn't even all that great, Videl decided she was better off hanging out with herself until her friend was over Gohan. She had honestly reached her limits and just couldn't bear with this anymore. So while Erasa was still ranting on about the perfection that was Gohan, she just… snapped.

"Will you cut it out already?" she cut her off in mid-sentence. "Geez! Do you realize you've done nothing but babble on and on, and on and _on_ about some guy who isn't even worth it? Do you know how sick I am of hearing you talk about him all the damn time? Goddammit Erasa, _he's just a guy_!"

Erasa looked shocked. In fact, she was speechless and stared at her with an appalled expression. Videl just scowled and left, pissed off at Erasa, and pissed off at herself because she knew what she said had hurt her best friend. But it had to be done. If she hadn't, who knew how long this cursed routing would have kept on? She just wished Erasa would get over the guy already, so that they could hang out like they used to and actually have some fun together. This crush on Gohan, it was seriously getting old.

She only hesitated about going to the library for a moment, since the very topic of her and Erasa's current tension might be there, with him helping out the library lady and all. However, Videl was pretty sure that after the way she'd told him off earlier, Gohan would think twice about trying to talk to her again. She did feel bad; she'd been downright mean to the guy when he'd only been genuinely worried about her. But, like with Erasa, it had to be done. She wanted to be left alone and sometimes, it was easier, and much faster, to have some peace while being mean than when asking nicely.

When Videl walked through the double door, he was the first thing she noticed. He looked up at the sound she made opening the doors, but quickly focused back on the book in his hands. Good. Now all she had to do was settle herself as far away from him as possible, and finally relax and relish the silence.

Halfway to the spot she'd chosen, the double doors were pushed open again and Erasa walked in. Videl glanced at Gohan, and then at Erasa again, seeing them exchange smiles. But the blonde didn't go join him, no; she went straight towards Videl, who had just sat down on a comfy armchair.

When Erasa came up and sat down on another one beside her, Videl didn't let her open her mouth to say something and beat her to it.

"You can't yell in here, it's the library," she said in a hushed voice.

"I know that, I'm not stupid," Erasa retorted in the same tone, but Videl could see the corners of her mouth twitching as she forced herself not to smile.

There was some silence, and after a while, Videl even considered getting a book to pass time. Didn't Erasa come here to tell her something, possibly to lecture her? And then it dawned on her. She saw Erasa glance to Gohan a few times, while the boy was completely oblivious and focusing on his book. Was she worried he might overhear them? Come on, they were all the way to the other side of the library, and if they whispered there was no way he could hear them talking from this far. Her friend was being paranoid.

"He won't hear us from this far," she whispered. Erasa let out a sigh.

"Yeah, I know I'm being ridiculous," she said softly. "And I'm sorry. I realize how annoying it must've been for you, with me talking nonstop about Gohan. I'm sorry."

Videl smiled, and it felt like her first, real smile in… forever. "So you won't talk about him anymore?"

"You mean, not at all? … Okay, fine, fine. I won't," she said with a sigh, forced to give in at Videl's infamous glare. "Not even a little bit?"

"Erasa…"

"I'm just kidding," she giggled. "It's all right, I'll just have to find other stuff to talk about. No biggie."

"Right," replied Videl, rolling her eyes. Like Erasa could ever be short on stuff to talk about.

x

Gohan was pretty sure he'd overheard his name being spoken, but he had no clue as to what Erasa and Videl could be talking about, they were too far away; even with his better-than-average hearing, he could barely make out what they were whispering.

Discreetly, he glanced towards the two girls and found himself surprised at the sight. So Videl actually _was_ capable of smiling, after all. And she had a really nice smile, too. She should smile more often, he thought to himself.

He was glad she didn't seem so grim anymore, but that didn't mean he would break his resolution not to get involved with her again. Although… He kinda wanted to know her better, now that he knew she didn't scowl twenty-four seven. And besides, Erasa was her friend, and she was his friend, too; maybe all three of them could become good friends? Maybe he could get to know Videl's good side, too; she was a crime fighter, right? He also helped the police forces occasionally; if anything, this was something they had in common. It would be nice to work things out between them, however bad their start had been.

He forced himself to focus back on his book, frowning. He might not be the resentful type, but as far as he was concerned Videl did nothing so far to deserve a second chance; she didn't even ask for one, for that matter, and Gohan doubted she would ever do so. She didn't want to have anything to do with him, and this time he had every intention to follow her wish and leave her alone. It was probably better off this way.

At the very least, it would spare him one heck of a headache.

x

"By the way," said Erasa. "What did you mean early when you said Gohan isn't worth it? You don't even know the guy."

Videl hesitated. Lying to her friend was the last thing she wanted, but she also didn't want to tell her just how, exactly, she knew Gohan. If she told Erasa how harsh and mean she'd been to him, Videl was pretty sure it wouldn't go smoothly.

Lying was out of the question, however.

"I… kinda do," she admitted dreadfully. This conversation could not end well.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?" inquired Erasa.

"Well… I was kinda… mean to him?" She winced in anticipation.

"You–"

"Remember, you can't yell in here," Videl cut in, feeling that Erasa had been about to be loud. The blonde girl glared at her, a look that was pretty rare on her, while she forced her mouth shut, most likely trying to calm down before starting speaking again. "Look, he came to me at a bad time, I was in a _really_ bad mood and plus, with you going on and on about him, when I learned his name I kinda just blamed it all on him."

"Wait, don't tell me you told him how I talk about him all the time!" Erasa whispered loudly in panic.

"Of course not," Videl replied calmly. "But I told him off harshly. I'm pretty sure he hates me."

Erasa frowned at that. "That doesn't sound like him. I doubt he hates you; I've seen him brush off stuff other guys do to him without so much as a blink."

"What do you mean? Is he being bullied?" Now she felt even worse about the way she'd been to him. Just her luck.

"No, not really. But some guys are jealous of him, because of all the attention he gets from the girls, so sometimes they pull pranks on him. But he's not the only one to get it, I think it's a guy thing. Still," she went on, "he doesn't seem to care at all when it happens and he just laughs it off; he even helps out the guys that usually pull the pranks in class. I bet he doesn't even know what resentment feels like."

"Even so," said Videl, her brows furrowed in thoughts. "I don't think he likes me, or would want to talk to me again. And to be honest, I'm fine with that. That's why I was mean to him in the first place, you know."

"That's so typical of you," said Erasa, rolling her eyes. "Tell people off to get them away from you, instead of just asking them nicely."

"Anyway, things are the way they are now, and there's no point in discussing this topic further," concluded Videl.

"I guess…" Erasa sighed. "You should apologize to him, though."

"I won't," replied Videl. "He caught me at a bad moment and he should've just left me alone when I told him the first time. It's his own fault if I ended up telling him off harshly."

"How did you two meet, exactly?" asked Erasa, tilting her head, seeming confused and lost by the lack of details in Videl's story.

"Doesn't matter," she said, shrugging. "The point is, I'm not apologizing to him, or ever speaking to him again. And that's fine by me; I'm sure it's fine by him, too."

"I'm sure Gohan would appreciate it if you apologized to him and would forgive you. All you have to do is say 'I'm sorry'."

"I'm sorry, but I won't," Videl shot back. "Can't you leave us be? Besides, he'd be better off not knowing me, really."

"Don't say that, he'd be happy to get to know you, I'm sure of it."

"Either way, I'm happy with the way things are right now," assured Videl, concluding their disagreement.

Erasa let out a frustrated sigh but didn't insist on it anymore. She couldn't force Videl to apologize to Gohan, even though it was the right thing to do. It was such a shame, too. She'd hoped the three of them could all hang out together. Gohan was such a great guy – a rare breed, really. She was persuaded he and Videl could get along really well if they only tried.

Well, it was only the beginning of the school year. There was no telling what might happen in the future. And, who knew? She and Gohan might start dating soon, and then Videl would be forced to be nice to him. If only he could just ask her out already…


	3. So You're Pretty Fun, After All

The dark cloud wasn't looming over her anymore, Gohan noticed.

Videl still came to hang out in the library regularly, but now she actually borrowed books from the shelves and settled down to read. Gohan wondered if this change had anything to do with that time he'd seen her talk with Erasa. In any case, it was a nice change to see her not scowling all the time. He even caught her smiling or stifling a laugh at times while she read. He'd discovered so many different expressions on her, finding himself looking her way more often than he would like to admit. It wasn't even intentional, really. He just did. And besides, it wasn't like there were many faces around to see. Or so he told himself.

Videl, however, never looked his way, not even once. Sometimes he wondered whether she was knowingly avoiding him or simply didn't care.

ooOoo

It had happened several times in the past weeks. Each time, the police forces would call her for help, but by the time she got to the crime scene everything was already taken care of and the crooks were being brought in by the police. Witnesses all affirmed it was some "golden-haired fighter" who easily handled them, but Videl had yet to see this "Gold Fighter" character in action since he was always long gone by the time she arrived.

That day before class, however, she'd been flying with her jetcopter when she heard an alarm go off nearby. Naturally, she immediately rushed to the grocery store that was getting robbed to stop the criminals. There were only two of them so it was a piece of cake for her.

First, she kicked their weapons off their hands, then immediately followed by planting her heel on the face of the one closest to her, sending him crashing right into his accomplice.

Just then, as they both struggled to untangle themselves from each other and stand up, and as she was preparing her next move, there was a peculiar gust of wind – and next thing she knew, a glowing man was standing tall over the robbers' unconscious forms.

Videl now understood why the witnesses all used the term "golden" instead of just "blond" like one would normally say. His hair was truly shining in golden flames.

The man turned around to look at her, and she was surprised at how young he looked, despite the seriousness and maturity in his bright teal eyes. They were quite a strange thing, those eyes of his. Enchanting, somehow, and a bit troubling. She couldn't even distinguish his pupils… It was like his eyes were all teal.

"I was doing fine before you showed up, you know," she said, taking a few steps forward to get a better look at him. Was it her or was he actually radiating of warmth?

"I could see that," he replied, a tiny smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "But I figured I'd still step in since I was passing by – besides, they could've had hidden weapons on them. I figured, better be safe than sorry."

"Fair enough," she smirked in turn, taking another step towards him. "I guess I should thank you then, hm?"

x

Gohan was… surprised, to say the least. Who knew – Videl was actually a pretty cool person. Well, when she wasn't scowling at you, that is.

In truth, the young fighter knew she could have handled herself without his help, but he'd been curious to interact with her as this alter-ego of his. And he was pleasantly surprised to discover that she was actually fun to talk to.

"No need. My intervention wasn't really necessary, was it?" he replied, and closed the distance between them before leaning down to whisper in her ear, "I guess I just wanted to show off."

Gohan often wondered where the rush of confidence came from, whenever he was in Super Saiyan form. Was it his true instincts, or an aftereffect that he gained from the adrenalin of the transformation?

x

Videl felt her face heat up when his warm aura enveloped her and his breath brushed her ear. Next thing she knew, however, the pleasant warmth disappeared as quickly as it'd come, and so did the glowing young man.

"What a tease," she said to herself, letting out a chuckle.

ooOoo

Erasa pushed open the double doors to the library and looked about for a tall boy with spiky black hair. He actually hadn't told any of the girls that he started working at the library for extra credit, so this new knowledge was an advantage she wasn't about to miss out on.

Gohan was sitting at a desk, seeming focused on his homework. It was still strange for her, seeing him wearing glasses; apparently, he needed them to prevent his eyes from tiring out since he studied so much. It was another thing Erasa had learned the day she'd come to the library that first time when she'd followed Videl here. Since then, she'd decided to make a habit of coming to see Gohan and hanging out with him. Alone time with her crush was always a plus.

"Hey," she greeted him in a hushed voice. Library rules and all.

He looked up from his work and smiled, taking off his thick frames as he greeted her back politely. Oh, she felt like melting right here and there from that smile. He was just perfect…

"What's up," she asked to engage the conversation, sitting down next to him and peering over at his work. Her lips parted in astonishment. This wasn't even high school level… Just looking at these complicated equations was giving her a headache.

"Ah, just working on some personal stuff…" he replied shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Wow," she breathed out, truly amazed. "You really are a genius."

His face flushed, in that adorable awkward way she loved so much. She could just hug him right now – if only she dared.

A moment of silence followed, which they both broke together as they started saying something at the same time.

"You first," Gohan said, ever the gentleman.

"No, no, you go first, I insist," Erasa replied, smiling sweetly at him.

"Okay then…" He scratched his hair in thought, looking a little embarrassed. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this for a while. I guess the opportunity didn't really present itself until now."

Erasa's eyes lit up ever so subtly. Was he finally going to ask her out? This was too good to be true. Was it really happening? _Ohmygosh, ohmygosh_ , she kept squealing in her head, praying that she wasn't mistaken.

"You're friends with Videl, right?"

Her face fell and then broke into a forced smile in a blink of an eye; she didn't want to show him just how disappointed she was.

"I am, yeah," she answered, trying to sound normal.

"What's she really like?" he inquired, a glint of curiosity twinkling in his onyx eyes. "I mean, she was pretty rude to me and all, yeah, but I have a feeling that it's not who she really is. I mean, you're her friend so she can't be all that bad, right? Well… I guess it made me curious is all."

"You're rambling, Gohan." She had meant to sound teasing, but her tone turned out more reproachful than she intended. What was this sudden interest in her best friend about, anyway?

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly, looking downward and scratching the back of his head.

Erasa let out a resigned sigh. "Videl's actually pretty cool," she said. But from the expectant look Gohan was giving her, she figured she needed to tell him more. "She's nice when you get to know her, and really values honesty. She despises lies and those who lie." Gohan cringed ever so slightly at that, making her wonder why. "She's dependable, strong-headed, has a great sense of justice… And she's super strong, too. Like, she can deal with armed thugs with just her fists and barely breaks a sweat. Pretty neat, huh?"

Well, jealous or not, Erasa would always be proud to be best friends with Videl. If only Gohan could stop drinking every word she said with that adorable smile of his.

"Do you know why she was in such a bad mood until recently?" he then asked.

Ugh, why was he still asking about Videl? "Maybe it was her time of the month?"

His face got beet-red in an instant, and Erasa couldn't help bursting out laughing. But then the library lady shushed her sternly. Library rules and all.

"Sorry," she whispered apologetically, before turning to Gohan with a slight grin. "I was just kidding. Though, now that I think about it, it might've been part of the reason, too," she added, giggling at Gohan's uneasiness.

"So, what was it about?" he asked, scratching his cheek.

"It was actually my fault," she admitted with a sigh, catching his interest. "I was… well, boring her out talking about girly stuff – you know, she's a tomboy and all. So I was going on and on about… the same topic, over and over again, and being the great friend she is, Videl was bearing with it – that's why she was in such a bad mood."

"Until you two had a talk here the other day, right?" recalled Gohan.

"Right," she confirmed. "So anyways, why are you so interested in her?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, but she managed to discern the light pink tinting his cheeks. "I just figured she wasn't all bad and got curious about what she's really like, I guess."

The double doors were pushed open at that moment, and the very person they were talking about walked in the library. The brunette noticed them sitting together and looked like she was torn about something; she took a step towards them, then stopped and glanced around, like she was reconsidering, then she tried again, with the same result. In the end, she let out a sigh and walked over to them – specifically, to Gohan.

"Look, I'm sorry I was rude to you before," Videl apologized to him, much to the other two's surprise. "You came to me at a bad time, and I figured you'd leave me alone quicker if I was mean to you so that I wouldn't have to deal with you again. As it turns out though, I'm going to have to share my best friend with you, so we might as well get along. What do you say, truce?"

With that last sentence, she held out her hand to him, waiting for him to accept it. Gohan smiled and reached for it at first, but then retracted himself, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he pretended to ponder on it.

"I don't know if I should forgive you that easily… Last time _I_ held out my hand to _you_ , you scowled at me and walked away without a look back."

She rolled her eyes with a slight grin, before just grabbing his hand forcefully – though he was obviously letting her – and making it shake hers. "There. Now we're good," she decided, making him chuckle. Then, turning to her blonde friend, "Aren't you happy now, Erasa? I apologized to Gohan like you wanted me to."

Truthfully, however, Erasa wasn't so happy about it. In fact, she wasn't happy at all.

ooOoo

"I finally met him the other day, you know," Videl said casually to Erasa, at lunch. "That Gold Fighter."

Erasa's eyes widened in astonishment. "Really? Wow! That's so awesome," she exclaimed. "Is he really as strong as they say he is? Is he hot?"

Videl grinned, a very light blush forming across her cheeks. "Yeah, he's hot alright. And definitely super strong, too."

"You know, if he can beat your dad, you could rightfully date him," said Erasa; she kinda hoped to push Videl in this Gold Fighter guy's arms, if only it meant keeping her away from her Gohan. She couldn't say she liked the way they'd hit it off earlier; they seemed to get along a little bit too well for her taste. Not to mention Gohan's incomprehensible interest in Videl. So, if Videl was attracted to another guy, she would wholeheartedly give her a push in the Gold Fighter's direction if they needed it.

Rolling her eyes in response, Videl's expression turned exasperated at the mention of her father. "I don't need my dad's approval to date whomever I want," she retorted rather harshly. "And anyway, I don't even know the guy. _Nobody_ does."

"You did say he was hot," reminded Erasa, not giving up so easily.

"I was merely stating the obvious," replied Videl, brushing it off nonchalantly.

"So you're not attracted to him?" inquired Erasa, still pressing it on.

"I didn't say that either, I'm still a girl you know," she replied, rolling her eyes again. "But like I said, I don't even know him, and I doubt he wants to be found out, otherwise his full name would have been displayed everywhere in the media a long time ago."

"But then… You could be his Lois Lane – oh, that'd be _so_ romantic!" squealed the pretty blonde.

x

Videl couldn't help it: she burst out laughing. Erasa was such a sucker for romance stories like Superman and Lois Lane. It was hilarious.

Although, this Gold Fighter had clearly flirted with her, so her bubbly friend might be on to something. She wondered who he really was; he did look to be around her age… Some witnesses even mentioned the Orange Star High badge pinned on him, the first few times he was seen. Could he really be a student in her own school? Was there really someone like him going to school here?

Somehow, he'd looked somewhat familiar, but Videl had honestly no idea why she had that impression. If she'd run into him before, with his spiky golden hair and piercing teal eyes, there was no way she would've forgotten it.

Then it clicked. Spiky hair.

 _Of course,_ she thought to herself. _Gohan._

So that was why the Gold Fighter looked familiar to her. Now that she thought about it, he and Gohan did resemble each other. Their natural-looking spikes, their height and built, and pretty much most of their features, really…

Their personalities were complete opposites, though, and with how bad of a liar Gohan was, she highly doubted he could pull off an act like that Gold Fighter character and fool her without so much as a blink. She figured it was just a coincidental resemblance like it sometimes happened.

x

He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but Gohan simply couldn't help it. Besides, they were talking about him – well, the "other" him, that is; the "Gold Fighter", as people liked to call his crime-fighting alter-ego.

When he'd noticed the girls talking under an oak tree from afar, he'd started towards them, figuring he would join them and hang out. But he'd paused in his tracks when he'd heard Videl mention the Gold Fighter, too curious about her first impression of the "other" him at that grocery store robbery.

His face flared up instantly when she said, "Yeah, he's hot all right." Yet, he couldn't deny feeling an ego-boost at the praise, and he couldn't help wondering what Videl thought of him, as Son Gohan, too.

"I was merely stating the obvious," she said in a nonchalant way. It made him blush more, while at the same time a grin tugged at the corners of his lips. If he wasn't supposed to be quiet, Gohan would have chuckled.

He had to admit, himself, that he thought Videl was a really pretty girl. In fact, in his opinion, she was by far the prettiest girl he'd met until now. He appreciated her natural looks; all the other girls at school seemed to feel obligated to paint their faces with makeup and reeked of perfume; sometimes it even made his eyes sting. But Videl, she was really pretty without any of that.

He had only noticed her good looks recently, to be honest, seeing as before she had been scowling pretty much all the time. But now, he'd seen her smile, chuckle, smirk playfully, look thoughtful… All kind of expressions that only made him more attracted to her. He'd seen some pretty cute looks on her, too, but he had a feeling he shouldn't ever tell her that.

"You could be his Lois Lane – oh, that'd be _so_ romantic!" exclaimed Erasa dreamily.

And then Videl laughed – a clear, hearty, unrestrained laugh – holding her sides and almost falling over, her shoulders shaking. And Gohan found himself blushing as he gazed upon her.

No, she wasn't just "pretty", he decided.

She was beautiful.

ooOoo

Gohan looked up from his book when he heard the double doors being pushed open, sliding his glasses down his nose as he locked eyes with hers. Videl actually smiled at him – what a nice change – and came over to his desk to sit across from him.

"Hey," she greeted, opening her backpack to take out her history book, pencil case and binder. She nodded at his book. "Any good?"

He took off his glasses and rubbed his neck. He was feeling kind of nervous all of a sudden, for some reason. "Yeah. I'm actually re-reading."

"What, did you already go through the whole library so now you've got to start over?" she joked, letting out a suppressed chuckle, so as not to be loud.

"Nah, not yet," he said, playing along. "But I'm getting there."

Videl bit down her lip, as if holding herself back from laughing. "I'm not surprised. You do look like a bookworm," she said, shooting him a playful glance before turning back to her binder.

"I would be offended, but it's actually true so…" he grinned. Man, that girl was really fun to hang out with, he noted once again.

She let out a strangled sound, covering her mouth to stifle her sudden fit of giggles. Gohan's grin widened. He wished they weren't in the library, though, so that she wouldn't need to stop herself from laughing out loud. He wouldn't mind hearing her unrestrained laugh again. Wouldn't mind at all.

"Homework?" he asked, motioning to her stuff on the desk when she'd calmed down enough to get back to studying.

"Yeah. Got a History test in a couple days," she answered, and let out a tired sigh. "It's really not my favorite subject…"

"Oh? Why not? I like learning about the past," he said, using his fingers as a bookmark and closing his book and focusing on her. "It's kind of fun to see that people were always just people, no matter the time period."

"Yeah, well, I had a pretty crappy teacher in middle school, so I kinda didn't make any effort back then," she explained. "And then I guess I lost interest." She shrugged.

"Well I can't really relate to that; I've been homeschooled my whole life until I started school here," he said, thoughtful. "Although, there was this teacher my mom hired… I really hated him, and my mom ended up kicking him out of the window. Literally."

She raised her eyebrows and blinked. He cracked a smile.

"… Out of the window?" she repeated slowly.

"Yeah, from my room. Our house only has one floor, you know," he clarified. "And she chased after him after that, too, on the yard."

"Your mom sounds awesome," she chuckled, shaking her head slightly.

He grinned. "Yep, that's my mom."

"But what did that teacher do to end up being chased after by your mom?"

"Ah, well," he started, a bit embarrassed. "He wasn't treating me well, and I'm her baby so she got really mad."

"Aww, so you're a momma's boy," she teased. "How cute."

His face flared up. Gohan knew she was just teasing him but he really _was_ a momma's boy, and at his age it seemed kind of… childish.

"Want some help?" he offered, changing the topic.

"Sure," she said, shrugging.

Gohan stood up and went around the desk to sit next to Videl. As he pulled his chair closer to her to have a better look at her work, his nostrils suddenly got immersed in her natural scent. Could it be her shampoo's fragrance, or did she really smell this sweet? Like… Like syrup, or something sugary. Something fruity. Like… Peaches. Yeah, that was it. She smelled like peaches.

Which just became his favorite fruit, Gohan decided.

"Can you make me recite these dates?" she asked, showing some lines on her History book.

He blinked out of his haze, mentally commanding himself to focus. He lifted the book on the desk and turned it away from her, and began asking her about historical events, to which she replied with dates.

"Nope, it was in 566," he corrected her after a few good answers.

"This is useless. Why should I memorize random dates that don't mean anything to me? I'm just going to forget about them after the test anyway," she complained, huffing in frustration.

"Come on, don't give up so fast. I don't think you're a quitter – or are you?"

"I'm not," she declared, frowning slightly.

"Then prove it," he said, handing her the book in a daring way.

Gohan smiled; he had a feeling she would get fired up again if he challenged her. She took the book from him and scanned the dates again, while the teenage boy flushed brightly when she brushed his hand. _Gosh, why am I acting like some twelve-year-old?_

Two minutes later, she sighed again. "This is hopeless. I wish there was an easier way to remember these stupid dates."

"Oh, I could help you with that," he said, suddenly thinking of something. He stood up, "Wait here, I'll be right back."

x

She wasn't surprised when he came back with a book – what else could he have gone looking for in a library? He set the said book on the desk and sat back down next to her.

The cover read Tony Buzan, _Use Your Head_ , _Innovative learning and thinking techniques to fulfill your mental potential._

"There's a chapter about memorizing stuff," he explained, browsing through the pages to find the chapter in question. "It's really helpful. I have my own copy at home; my mom bought me this the moment she first heard about it." He looked up for a moment to flash her a sheepish smile. "She's always been determined to make a scholar out of me."

"Then I guess she's been doing a fine job, Mr. I-got-perfect-scores-on-the-entrance-exams," she teased, smirking when he blushed slightly and focused back on the book.

"How come _everybody_ seems to know that," he mumbled to himself, which made her grin. He paused at a specific page, "Ah, there it is."

He handed the open book to her, and Videl started to read. The chapter gave a method to memorize numbers and associate them with particular things, or in her case, historical events.

"This could actually be really helpful," she said, impressed.

"There's another book by Buzan focusing about the memory, but I didn't find it here," Gohan said.

"Let me guess; you have it too?" She cracked a smile when he blushed again and scratched his hair. Man, it was just too easy to tease this guy.

"I have all of his books, actually. And they're quite good, too. Really useful," he added as if to justify himself.

"Can't say I don't believe it," she replied, getting back to the book. She smiled to herself; with this method, she might actually be able to score a lot better than usual on that History test.

 _Take that, Mr. Bohre,_ Videl thought in triumph. She could _actually_ become good at History, unlike what her middle school teacher used to say to her.

Okay, so Gohan was pretty cool after all.

x

He couldn't help staring as Videl read the book he gave her, smiling to herself in satisfaction. _She looks so cute_ , he thought to himself, feeling his cheeks heat up.

Gohan was starting to really like this girl, now that he was getting to know her. She was smart, witty, fun, quite nice to look at, and she smelled good… His eyelids fell shut as he allowed himself to breathe in her scent again.

Mmm… Peaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Footnotes:
> 
> \- Videl's story about her middle school teacher is actually based off of my own experience. I suck at History / Geography because my teacher in middle school sucked; before I had him, I was actually good at those subjects. v_v
> 
> \- Use Your Head by Tony Buzan is a real book, which I have read and has really helped me study. I'd recommend it to anyone; it's super helpful. : )


	4. Do You See Me, Too?

Well, that was a first.

Videl smirked, raising an eyebrow at the scene she'd come upon. She'd been called yet again by the police force this morning to help stop a bank robbery, and for the first time, the Gold Fighter wasn't already gone when she got there.

He had finished dealing with a dozen heavily armed men and was standing in the middle of their unconscious bodies. Turning around when she arrived just as the hostages in the bank were rushing outside in relief, the tall young man gave an amused smile upon locking eyes with her, seeming to be thinking the same thing as her.

"Did I somehow get slower at this, or did you get here too fast this time?" he asked rhetorically, letting out a low chuckle as he slowly began walking to her.

"Who knows," Videl said, shrugging, as she also took a few steps to meet him halfway. The warm, glowing aura was still emanating from his body, immersing her in a pleasant sensation. "Then again, there were quite a lot of them," she added, motioning to the knocked out crooks.

"This bunch? Nah, they were nothing," he said, brushing it off with his hand. He was standing right in front of her now, and she had to raise her head to look at him.

"Show off," she said with a grin, making him chuckle.

"Maybe," he whispered, and his hand reached up to her face. But he stilled his movement then, seeming to hesitate, his fingers hovering over her skin.

And Videl's eyes slowly fell shut. His body truly was radiating off a warm glow. It was giving her a tingling sensation in her stomach… Or maybe she was a lot more attracted to this guy that she was willing to admit.

"But only in front of you," he went on in a low, husky voice as he leaned down to her ear, brushing away a few strands of her hair with the tip of his fingers. It was so… soft.

Her heart was pounding hard against her chest, her breathing quickened. How could a touch as simple as this have such a strong effect on her? It just… It didn't make sense. It'd never happened to her before. She could actually _feel_ his power, so gigantic and overwhelming, and yet the way he touched her, barely making contact as he tucked a stray lock behind her ear… His gentleness was making her melt.

Videl could feel he was about to disappear again and instinctively reached out to grab his wrist to hold him back. She looked down, slightly embarrassed by her bold move, and distractedly noticed the digital watch he was wearing. Well, superheroes also needed to know the time, didn't they?

"What's your name?" she managed to breathe out, raising her head to look at him again. His teal eyes were troubling her. She was getting anxious.

"Can't tell you that," he replied mysteriously, smirking at her.

"Then what should I call you?" she quickly followed up, subconsciously tightening her hold on his wrist. "It feels awkward to call you Gold Fighter."

He seemed to think about it, his gaze shifting to the side. Then he smiled at her, looking like he figured something out. "Saiyaman," he said. "Call me Saiyaman."

She sent him a skeptical look, mixed with some amusement. "What does that even mean?"

"It means something to me. That's all you need to know," he explained cryptically.

'Saiyaman' was about to leave again, but Videl was still holding his wrist. He chuckled. "Can I have that back?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Depends. What do I get in return?" she teased, still not letting go.

It happened so fast it caused her to freeze completely. His warm lips pressed on her jawline, just over her neck, sending jolts of electricity through her whole body. She subconsciously released his wrist, and his low, rumbling chuckle brushed against her neck, causing a shiver to run along her spine. Heat rushed to her face in less than a millisecond; her heart was fluttering like crazy in her chest, tightening her throat. And the spot he had kissed… it felt tingly. The unfamiliar yet intoxicating sensation was spreading through her whole being.

"You're welcome," he whispered, before leaving in a gust of wind.

Videl idly wondered if her heart rate was ever going to get back to normal again.

ooOoo

"Hellooooo~? Earth to Videl?"

The girl in question was jolted out of her daydream when Erasa called her out loudly, waving a perfectly manicured hand in front of her face. Videl gave an apologetic smile and her cheeks reddened ever so slightly as she recalled her wandering thoughts.

"Sorry," she said, forcing herself to focus. "You were saying?"

"Never mind _that_ ," was Erasa's response, a devious smirk forming on her cherry lips. "What were _you_ thinking of with such a silly smile on your face, hm?"

Videl grinned, ignoring the intense heat on her cheeks as she motioned to her friend to get closer, as if she were about to share a secret. Which, in fact, was precisely her intention.

"I saw him again earlier. The Gold Fighter," she confided in a low tone. "Well, he said to call him Saiyaman, that the name made some sort of sense to him somehow…"

"You're getting off track, hun," remarked Erasa, grinning in anticipation.

"Right," said Videl, giggling slightly. "Well, he's clearly been flirting with me."

Erasa's eyes widened, along with her smile. "Ohmygosh! _Ohmygosh_! You really _are_ his Lois Lane! That's so romantic," she squealed in delight. "And what about you? How do you feel about him?"

"It's hard to tell so soon," Videl replied thoughtfully. "But I'm kinda… flirting back?"

This time, Erasa's jaw dropped to the ground, while Videl tried as she might to ignore the burning feeling on her face.

"That's _fantastic_ , Videl!" she cried out, hugging her tightly all of a sudden. Videl laughed nervously, and when her friend pulled back she made fake sniffing sounds. "My little Videl is finally growing up," she said, pretending to wipe away a tear.

Videl rolled her eyes at Erasa's antics. Her ears still felt pretty hot though. "And he kissed me on the cheek. Well, actually," she corrected, pointing at the very spot Saiyaman had touched with his lips; it still left a tingling sensation on her skin. "He kissed me right here."

Erasa blew out a breath, fanning herself with her hand. "That is so hot," she said. "And then? What happened after that? What did you do?"

"I was rooted on the spot!" laughed Videl. "And then he chuckled and left."

"Gosh, that's just like those superhero dramas," Erasa said wistfully, letting out a dreamy sigh. Then she smirked, winking at Videl. "Maybe someday, I could meet him through you, once you two begin your romance story and all."

"Stop it," giggled the brunette, hitting her friend playfully on the shoulder. "And besides, I still don't know his real name. Or _anything_ about him, for that matter."

"That's not true," countered Erasa. "For one, you know he's a crime fighter, like you. And you know he's hot, and that he's been flirting with you which means he must like you. How is _that_ nothing?"

"And I only saw him _twice_ in all," reminded Videl.

"And your point is…?" Erasa quirked an eyebrow at her, as if saying 'that's not a valid excuse at all; you've got to try harder than that'.

Videl rolled her eyes at her friend. Of course, _she_ knew she was in love with Gohan from the moment they met, but that didn't mean that kind of thing could happen to anyone. And besides, she and Saiyaman were only having a harmless flirt; she had no plans to get serious with a guy who wouldn't even give her his real name. No matter how hot and tempting he may be.

"Oh, look, Gohan's over there," noticed Erasa, her face lighting up. She started calling out to the tall boy to join them under their usual tree, her arms waving wildly to catch his attention.

"Hi," he greeted them, sitting down cross-legged on the grass. "What's up?"

"Well, Videl's attraction for a certain golden-haired guy, that's for sure," Erasa giggled, unknowingly making both dark-haired teens flush deeply.

"Erasa! Don't just say it to anyone!" reproached Videl.

"But Gohan's a cool guy; you said so yourself, remember?"

x

He was blushing pretty badly at this point. Not only did Erasa remind him just how _bold_ he'd been with Videl earlier (damn that Super Saiyan overconfidence; how was he supposed to act normal with her after that daring kiss _now_?), he also learned that Videl thought he was cool; the real him, Son Gohan. He was pretty glad she did, of course, but it was still an embarrassing thing to hear, especially in front of the girl in question.

Gohan was a bit at a loss about this "Saiyaman" character and Videl, to tell the truth. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that he was more than attracted to Videl, as much to her looks as to her personality, now that he knew her better. If he were to make a move towards her, though, shouldn't he rather do it as himself, and not as an alter-ego he'd created to fight crime anonymously? Sure, he kind of lacked the confidence the Super Saiyan form provided, but he wasn't completely spineless, either. He could be bold and daring, too, if he wanted to.

" _Fine_ ," said Videl, after some convincing on Erasa's part to talk about Saiyaman to Gohan.

Oh, the irony.

"You've heard about this kind of superhero that's been stopping crime in the city lately, right? The Gold Fighter," started Erasa.

"Saiyaman," corrected Videl. "I already told the press about his superhero name so you should get used to it."

"Fine, Saiyaman," replied Erasa, rolling her eyes in amusement. "Anyways, the guy's obviously taken a liking to Videl; she says he's been flirting with her."

"F- _Flirting_?" he stuttered, his face flaring up in a flash.

Well, it wasn't like he could deny it, but hearing the word was somehow making it more… _real_. He hoped they wouldn't see through his exaggerated reaction; he passed for a pretty shy person, so Gohan figured it might not be that surprising coming from him.

"Yep! And here's the best part." Erasa paused for dramatic effect. " _Videl_ is flirting back! The biggest tomboy in the world, flirting with a guy – can you believe that?"

"Erasa, that's enough…" muttered Videl, a deep blush on her face. Gohan turned to her, feeling a tug in his chest. Could it be she actually _liked_ his Saiyaman character?

And then another, unfamiliar and unreasonable feeling gripped his stomach, making him frown. Why Saiyaman? Why not _him_? Was it because he was strong and confident as the superhero, and more reserved and kind of nerdy as Gohan? But they were the same person – why wasn't she attracted to him, as Gohan, too?

Or… was she? Could it be she actually saw him like that too? Or maybe… Maybe he could… flirt with her, but as himself. Stop this game with Saiyaman, however fun it'd been, and try to win her over.

He blushed slightly at his thoughts, glancing at the girl in question. Who knew, when he'd first met her, that he would actually start developing feelings for her in such a short time. That he would want her to notice him, and like him for who he really was. That he could be jealous of himself because she seemed to like the Super Saiyan part of him more.

"Anyway," Videl said curtly, obviously keen to change the subject. "Did you hear from Sharpner too?" she asked Erasa. "He sent me a text to say he was having a blast."

Erasa giggled. "He sent me the same text. That lazy bum. He could've given us a call, at least."

"Give him a break, he's probably exhausted over there."

Gohan tilted his head, hearing the name for the first time. "Who's Sharpner?"

"He's a friend of ours. We've known each other since kindergarten, the three of us," Erasa explained. "He's an athlete like Videl, and he was accepted in a prestigious training camp in Ginger Town."

"That's pretty cool," Gohan commented. "But what about school?"

"They have classes too, so they don't fall behind," said Videl. "He should be back before the end-of-term exams, right?" she asked Erasa for confirmation, who hummed in response, nodding her head.

Gohan smiled as he watched the two girls interact and banter playfully with one another. It was no wonder that they were so close if they had known each other for so long.

His eyes softened as they lingered on the raven-haired girl, and his chest swelled when she smiled. His heartbeat quickened. This girl… He didn't quite understand it, but, somehow, she could make a roller coaster out of his emotions, be it to piss him off or to fluster him. Effortlessly.

ooOoo

Later that day, Gohan couldn't quite focus on the teacher's lecture. His thoughts were still revolving around Videl, and he'd concluded that his chances of getting her to notice him were pretty low. Saiyaman was mysterious and strong. Gohan? Just a regular guy who did well in school. Nothing mysterious about that.

He let out a deep, dejected sigh.

"You okay, Gohan?"

It was Kit, one of his classmates. He turned to her and attempted to smile, but he was just too discouraged to manage one. "Sorry, not really," he replied truthfully.

"What's wrong?" she whispered – they were in the middle of a class, after all.

"It's all right, I'd rather not talk about it," he replied in the same tone.

"Oh come on, maybe I can help?"

He took a moment to think about it, frowning slightly. Kit _might_ be able to help, actually – she was a girl too. Although… Last time he talked about Videl to her and the other girls they started badmouthing her for no good reason, and he ended up just getting more upset.

"Hypothetically…" he started, deciding to give it a go anyway. He hid behind his book and lowered his voice even more, scooting closer to Kit. "How does a guy get a girl to notice him?"

Sometime later, class ended, and Gohan went to the library for his daily extra credit work. He'd hoped to see Videl again, too, but unfortunately, she didn't show up today, and the Son boy sighed deeply. Things were so boring without her around.

He thought back about what Kit had told him earlier in class. When she'd asked what type of girl the "hypothetical guy" was interested in, he'd thoughtlessly replied, "A tomboyish girl."

She'd looked a little bit upset at that for some reason, but offered her help anyway. She said regular methods like flowers and jewelry probably wouldn't work as well on a tomboy as it would a girly girl. "Why a tomboy, though?" she'd asked.

"I don't know, it's what came to mind first," he'd replied, shrugging slightly. "Besides, it's just a hypothetical situation so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

She had frowned, and then sighed softly, and told him she wasn't quite sure how to woo a tomboy since she wasn't one herself.

"But a girl is a girl," she'd added. "Tomboy or girly, if you want her to notice you…"

"Not me," he'd cut in, blushing. She'd rolled her eyes – clearly not buying it. He went along with it anyway. "It's all hypothetical."

"Right. So, if a guy wants a girl to like him, he should ask her about the stuff she likes, and listen to her when she needs it, and of course, show that he's interested in her and flirt with her et cetera. But be careful not to be too clingy, otherwise you – I mean, otherwise the girl might get sick of the guy."

It was really nice of Kit to give him advice on girls, although he'd had the feeling she wasn't too happy about something.

 _Not too clingy,_ Gohan reminded himself as he put a book back in its rightful place on the shelf. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. But he'd really hoped to see her again today…

Someone did come, however. Erasa hung out with him until he was done helping out in the library, and then they parted ways. He did ask her about Videl, and she told him she went home early to train today.

As he flew home on his flying cloud, Gohan sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time today. It couldn't be healthy to think about one person so much. It wasn't doing any good to his heart, that was for sure.

ooOoo

Videl walked into the library and smiled when she saw Gohan, as usual. Ever since they'd made peace and started to get to know each other, the girl, in turn, started to enjoy coming to the library more and more. Thanks to Gohan and the book he'd recommended to her, she'd passed her History test with flying colors. She'd ended up reading the whole thing, too, which turned out really productive and useful in class and while doing homework. She might just become one of the best in her class with that book's help, she thought wishfully.

One could always dream, right?

"Hey. Thanks for letting me borrow this," she said, setting on the desk another work by Buzan which Gohan had let her borrow from his personal collection. "His books are really amazing."

He smiled sheepishly. "You can keep it if you want; I've long memorized this stuff."

She rolled her eyes playfully as she sat down next to him. "Right, almost forgot I was dealing with Mr. Genius."

Gohan blushed, and she cracked a smile at that. Ever so easy to get him flustered – not to mention, it was super fun too.

"So, um…" He cleared his throat, his cheeks still tinted pink. "I hear you fight crime? How did you end up doing that kind of stuff?"

She smirked. "It's actually a really peculiar story."

"You have my full attention," he said, turning to her fully.

x

"You got _kidnapped_?"

The library lady sent Gohan a stern look after his outburst, and he apologized shyly, scratching the back of his head. But when he turned back to her, Videl cracked a smile at the disbelieving look he was giving her. She had always liked telling that story; the reactions she would get were always entertaining.

"Did you really get kidnapped? That's terrible," he said in a hushed voice, leaning closer to her.

And suddenly she didn't feel so confident anymore. Her heart rate picked up for some reason – and Gohan was really, _really_ close. Too close. His pitch black eyes were drawing her in, and she could smell his natural scent… which turned out to be oddly attractive.

"Y-Yeah," she replied. Why was she stuttering? She cleared her throat. "Well, actually, I _almost_ got kidnapped. I was fourteen years old and already pretty strong, so when those men tried to take me, I kicked their asses instead and handed them over to the police. And it felt really good, you know? To fend for myself and do something meaningful. So I thought, I could help the police force from time to time, and I offered my help. And, well, since the crime rate had been going up the past years, they were happy to get my help."

"What about your dad?" Gohan inquired. "Was he okay to let his fourteen-year-old daughter fight armed criminals?"

She frowned at the mention of her father. "Not really, but that didn't stop me. Nothing can stop me when I've set my mind on to something."

His expression softened, and he smiled at her fondly. "That, I've no doubt about."

What was it about his gentle eyes that made her chest feel so tight, all of a sudden?

ooOoo

"I'm home."

Her dull voice probably didn't reach her father in this friggin' huge mansion – well, good for her. The less she saw the man, the better.

May 26th, the anniversary of the Cell Games, was less than three weeks away now. And, oh joy, her father, the so-called world savior, had decided to come to her school and give a speech during the festival. Yeah, because Orange Star High, along with Orange Star Junior High and Elementary, organized a festival on that date every year since the defeat of Cell. And every year since then, Videl was forced to attend the special event honoring her father's big fat lie.

She went to her room and locked the door behind her, grabbed the remote of the hi-fi system and switched on the radio, turning up the volume to the maximum. The music was vibrating off the walls, but luckily for the people living as well as working here, her room was soundproof – like any of the fifty rooms of this damned place, for that matter.

She'd never felt at home here. Deep down, Videl wished they'd never left their old apartment. Although, if she could have a wish, it would be that her father hadn't chosen to lie that day.

She had thought of doing her own investigation of what had really happened in the arena, but in the end, it didn't matter all that much. Whoever did kill Cell didn't mind having the credit stolen from them and was content having the world worshipping some liar for something they achieved. Well then, she shouldn't bother looking for them, either. It wouldn't be worth the trouble anyway.

She closed her eyes and focused on the loud music, forcing herself to think of something else…

An image formed in her mind: a dorky smile, gentle eyes, and spiky, black hair…

Videl sat up straight with a jolt, her eyes wide open. What the heck was _Gohan_ , of all people, doing popping up in her head out of nowhere? She would've thought, if someone were to get in her thoughts, it would be Saiyaman. Although… Ever since that second meeting she hadn't had any contact with him; like before, he was always long gone before she showed up. Could he be embarrassed about the kiss? Somehow she didn't think he would be the shy type… Then again, she'd only seen the guy twice; she couldn't really say she knew him.

Even so, why Gohan? Sure, she had gotten to know him a lot better lately and he was a pretty cool guy, yeah. And yes, okay, Erasa was right, he was really cute and had an adorable smile. And great eyes. And really good tastes in books, too – he'd recommended a few to her that she'd really enjoyed, fictional as well as practical; books she would never have looked at twice if it hadn't been for him.

Okay, so all in all he was a great guy; tall and handsome, fun to hang out with, not to mention really smart, and keen to offer his help if she needed any when studying or for anything else. But he was just a friend. A good friend. A really cute, good-looking friend with whom she enjoyed spending time. Yep, that was all.

And Erasa had dibs on him, anyway. Not that she was interested, obviously. Nope. Not at all.

She lay back on her bed and looked at the ceiling, a small smile tugging at her lips. Well, at least thinking of Gohan was getting her mind off of her gloomy mood. She closed her eyes, and allowed herself to think of him more. He was her friend after all, and thinking of him was lightening her mood – no harm in that, right?

She smiled in content, letting the music and images of Gohan invade her mind. He sure had a really cute smile…


	5. I Really Want to Kiss You

He could not make a sound; the tiniest mistake could be disastrous in this situation. Gohan had always been a light sleeper and, this particular morning, the little six-year-old needed his brother to stay asleep while he reached the school bag hanging on the desk chair.

Goten grinned to himself, all excited about today. He clutched the small box in his chubby little hands and tiptoed towards his goal, being extra careful as he went; in moments like this Goten wished he knew how to fly – but that wasn't the issue right now. Right now, the tiny little fighter needed to accomplish his task without being noticed by the sleeping older boy on the second futon.

He heard Gohan suddenly inhale sharply and became completely still, anxious that his brother had woken up before he could slip the very special items into his bag. And then he let out a silent sigh of relief, reassured that Gohan was still sleeping soundly. Ever so slowly, he opened the beige satchel and slipped the box inside. A folded paper followed, as well as a note, and Goten smiled in gleeful satisfaction as he proceeded to zip the bag closed.

"Gohan! Goten! Breakfast is ready!" Chichi shouted from the kitchen.

Goten was back on his futon in less than a moment, his heart beating erratically in his chest while he nervously watched his brother waking up.

"Hey there, lil' buddy," were Gohan's first words when he opened his eyes, his voice hoarse from sleep. Goten grinned from ear to ear and jumped in his big bro's bed, hugging him tightly.

"Happy birthday, Gohan!"

x

It was, by far, Gohan's favorite moment of the day. Every year, Goten would jump on his bed to hug him and wish him a happy birthday the very moment he woke up – just so that he could be the first to wish it to him.

"Thank you, Goten," Gohan said, smiling warmly. He ruffled the little one's wild hair and Goten only grinned wider.

"Gohan! Goten! Hurry up or the food will get cold!" called their mother again.

It was all they needed to hear to rush to the kitchen and sit down around the table. Since today was a special day, the tablecloth was filled with all of Gohan's favorites. It smelled intoxicatingly delicious.

Chichi came behind him and gave him a tight hug, kissing him on the cheek, "Happy birthday, my little Gohan."

He smiled, holding her arm affectionately as she hugged him. "Thanks, Mom. This looks amazing," he said, motioning to the mouth-watering dishes on the table.

"You're welcome, sweetie," she replied, giving him another kiss before releasing him. She passed by Goten and hugged him as well, kissing his forehead and gently stroking his hair. "And you be good today, okay? I know you wish Gohan could stay home today but he can't miss school, so we're going to celebrate his birthday once he gets back, all right?"

Goten nodded his head solemnly, and Chichi patted his head softly with a proud smile.

The breakfast on his birthdays were the most amazing meals of the whole year, and considering how excellent a cook his mother was, that was saying something. She always outdid herself for him and Goten, and deep down Gohan also wished that he could've spent his birthday home with his family, instead of going to school.

But with Chichi as your mother, you don't even mention something like that. Birthday or not.

His stomach delightfully filled, he headed off to school with not a care in the world.

But when he got to the city and dropped off the golden magic cloud to walk the rest of the way, he heard the all too familiar sound of police sirens nearby. Gohan sighed and ran towards the ruckus, observing that a bank was, yet again, the target of robbers.

He got to a secluded spot then quickly jumped onto the roof of a nearby building. There, he put down his school bag, took off his t-shirt then his long-sleeved shirt with the Orange Star High badge, then put back the white t-shirt and left it untucked; along with the Super Saiyan transformation, Gohan figured that was enough not to be recognized. Just as he was about to complete the look and go Super, however, a particular, yellow jetcopter zoomed in and landed by the police cars below. The name Satan tagged on the flying vehicle was pretty hard to miss.

Crap…

Usually, Gohan would be more than glad to see Videl on any occasion, but he'd decided to avoid her as 'Saiyaman' as much as possible considering he wanted her to like the real him and not just the Super Saiyan side of him. He'd managed well so far since their second encounter, but now…

Gohan pondered his options. Videl had been fighting crime since she was fourteen years old, so she knew what she was doing. He could stand by and let her deal with the robbery. He could wait until she actually needed him. After all, she wasn't alone; there was a good number of police officers backing her up. She was going to be all right, wasn't she? She should be.

If only he weren't such a worry wart.

"Dang it," he muttered to himself, turning Super Saiyan in a blink and rushing inside the bank unnoticed.

x

Whoosh~

Her fist was just colliding with a hooded face when Videl felt the odd gust of wind. And like the man she had just knocked out, all of his accomplices fell to the floor in a split second.

She stared at his tall, strong figure and her heart picked up. Saiyaman turned around and looked at her – deep, teal eyes piercing through her.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" he asked, smirking.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, the tiniest smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Shouldn't you? You look pretty young to me."

He cracked a smile, amusement dancing in his teal colored eyes.

And then he looked at his watch. "Well, I need to get going. See you around."

And just like that, he was gone. Vanished. And Videl felt… disappointed. She'd really looked forward to bumping into him again and yet he just… left. Said a few words to her and that was it. She was confused and a bit annoyed; after all, he'd been the one flirting with her. And yes, she did enjoy it and even flirted back, but just now he'd pretty much avoided her. What the hell was that about? What was up with that guy?

Huffing and puffing on her way to school, Videl berated herself for falling for the guy's play. Obviously, it had just been a game to him – well he wouldn't catch her playing along again, that was for sure.

"Guys," she grumbled in bad faith. "All the same."

When she got to Orange Star High, walking along the hallway to her locker, she was still muttering to herself and cursing that damned superhero. Erasa couldn't have been more wrong – his Lois Lane? As if.

"Um… hello, Videl."

She turned and somehow a smile easily formed on her previously scowling lips. "Hey, Gohan. How's it going?"

Who needed Saiyaman anyway? Gohan was a much more reliable guy – friend, she corrected herself mentally. He cracked a smile, leaning back against the row of lockers, his eyes not leaving hers as she shut her locker.

He's just a friend, Videl reminded herself, purposely ignoring the fluttering sensation in her chest. Just a friend, with an adorable smile that could melt her heart.

Nothing to worry about, right?

x

Man, he was really falling for that girl, wasn't he? Just seeing her smile at him was enough to make his day.

"I'm doing well," he replied, grinning. "Just had the best breakfast ever."

She chuckled. "Is that so? Lucky you, I barely had time to finish a toast earlier. A police call again," she said, rolling her eyes.

Gohan frowned in concern. He had been so preoccupied to quickly leave the bank earlier that he didn't even make sure she was okay. He mentally berated himself and moved closer to her, watching carefully for any sign of injury.

x

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

He was close, too close. Way too close.

Her breath was caught in her throat and her heart was going crazy, pounding so hard against her ribcage she wouldn't be surprised if everybody could hear it. She opened her mouth to say that she was fine – but Gohan lifted her left arm slightly and inspected it. And all air left her lungs.

His feather-like touch was making her whole being melt and burn at the same time. Her knees felt weak, as though they suddenly couldn't bear her weight. Videl swallowed, commanding herself to look away; his caring, deep onyx eyes were dangerous, too dangerous. They were drawing her in, attracting her like a magnet; they were enchanting, hypnotizing, and way too tempting… And his voice… His gentle, low tone was directing her gaze to his lips – and it stopped there.

Close… So close…

The bell rang, and Videl snapped out of it. She turned away muttering, "Well, see you later," and she rushed away from him – from his tempting eyes and lips, from his electrifying touch; from the irresistible attraction that pulled her to him, no matter how much she struggled against it.

Damn that Gohan. What was he doing to her?

It was bad, and it kept getting worse. Why couldn't she fight it? Why was it so hard to get away from him? It shouldn't be so difficult. He was just a guy. Just a friend, a good friend. Okay, fine, she admitted that she was kind of attracted to him – but really, what girl in this school wasn't? And yes, she liked it when he looked at her and smiled at her, and she liked his scent and his voice. And his gentleness, and his sense of humor, and the natural kindness in his black eyes, and she'd really like to know more about him and spend more time with him.

But Erasa saw him first.

She was among the first to get to class, with how fast she practically ran there, away from Gohan. She sat down at her usual seat and opened her backpack, getting her things out to prepare for the class. Her hand paused inside her bag, and Videl looked at the book Gohan had lent her. It was a dark novel, about a man watching his best friend marry a mysterious woman who little by little, would destroy his life. It was depressing and sometimes a bit scary, and it was a book she hadn't been able to put down and ended up finishing in one sitting.

Videl had meant to give it back to Gohan today and discuss it with him, but sometimes she wondered if she should be spending that much time with him. And if she should be enjoying his company so much.

Just as the second bell rang, Erasa sat down next to her, letting out a sigh of relief. "Phew," she said, "almost didn't make it on time. What's up?" she asked her.

"Nothing," replied Videl in a low voice.

The teacher started calling the roll and the classroom fell silent, apart from the student responding when being called. Videl was grateful for that. She didn't really feel like chitchatting with Erasa right now; she still felt confused by the effect Gohan was having on her, and while she wanted to figure out what her feelings meant, Videl was also scared to know for sure.

What if…

She gave a sharp shake of her head, focusing her attention on the teacher. No. She had nothing to worry about – Gohan was a friend, and nothing more.

Just a friend.

ooOoo

"Hey, Birthday Boy, where are you going?"

"Yeah, Birthday Boy, sit with us!"

"Come on, Birthday Boy!"

Gohan's face was a pretty deep shade of red at this point. His classmates seemed to enjoy teasing him – actually, everyone he knew loved to tease him for some reason. Was he that fun to fluster and embarrass? He often wondered so.

Earlier in class, the content of his satchel spilled out on the floor when it accidentally fell over, and somehow until then, he hadn't noticed the wrapped box placed in it, along with a folded drawing and a note, all courtesy of his little brother. The gesture was adorable, and he loved the thoughtful gifts his brother had made for him. There was a drawing of their family that Goten had done, with their mom, him, Goten, and he even drew their dad with wings and a halo and added a big green man that could only be Piccolo. All in all, it was a masterpiece, and Gohan loved it. In the box, Goten had managed to sculpt a small green statue representing Piccolo, and Gohan absolutely couldn't wait to show it to real life Piccolo; lastly, the note contained, in big, colorful letters: HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOHAN! I LOVE YOU THE MOST! YOU'RE THE BEST BIG BROTHER EVER! – from: Goten.

All of this would have been awesome, if only his classmates hadn't decided it would be fun to show everybody each of his gifts, giving comments as they did, and even reading the note out loud.

"Aww, isn't that adorable? Your little brother must really adore you," one of the girls had said, sounding actually genuine.

Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. Gohan had put away his gifts very carefully, smiling to himself at his lil' bro's adorableness, and let his classmates tease him to their heart's content. He was fine with it, really – or maybe he was just used to being teased by everyone and anyone. In any case, Gohan didn't really mind it.

Now it was lunchtime, and while Gohan was walking through the cafeteria to go eat outside in the courtyard, some of his classmates started calling him out to join them. They were purposely loud, and in a matter of moments, everybody around him now knew that today was his birthday.

"I'm going to eat outside," he said to them over his shoulder. "I'll see you guys later."

Gohan looked around the courtyard, and a smile came to his face when he spotted the person he'd been looking for. Videl was sitting by herself under her usual tree, her eyes staring off in the distance while she munched on a sandwich. The birthday boy was almost skipping when he went to join her, and couldn't hide his cheerfulness when he asked if he could sit with her.

"Sure," she said casually, the tiniest smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

As he got out his lunch and started eating at a slow pace, his eyes kept shifting towards Videl. Gohan had always liked watching her, marveling at her natural beauty. Today, she looked somewhat pensive and maybe a bit distracted.

Gosh, she was so beautiful. He wished he could tell her just how stunning, breathtaking she was to him. Gohan wondered how she would react if he ever did.

"You know, today's my birthday," he said, smiling when she turned to look at him. Her blue eyes were one of the things he liked most about her – and since he got to know her, blue had become his favorite color.

"Oh really?" she chuckled. "May eleventh, huh. I guess I should memorize it for next year."

His heart picked up the slightest bit. Next year, she said, as if it was the most natural thing to think that they would still be friends by next year. Gohan grinned; hopefully, they would be more than friends by then. Hopefully.

"When is yours?" he asked, curious.

"August sixth," she said, leaning back against the tree trunk as she was finishing her sandwich. "You turned seventeen, right?"

"Yeah," he replied, nodding his head, and gave a small smirk. "Doesn't that mean I'm older than you now?"

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't suppress an amused smile. "Not for very long."

"You should be more respectful to your elders, young one," he joked, waving a finger at her.

And Videl laughed.

"Keep dreaming, old man," she said in between bouts of laughter.

Gohan swallowed. He just knew his face must be flaming red right now. But she was so… so… gorgeous – how could he not stare?

His hand reacted before his brain did, reaching up to tuck away a few strands of her silky dark hair behind her ear. Her laugh died out almost instantly; her eyes locked with his and he just couldn't look away.

He loved her. He was so in love with this girl – he just couldn't fight it anymore.

"G-Gohan…" she whispered, sounding out of breath. "Wh… What are you…?"

He was going to kiss her, that was what he was doing. He was going to kiss Videl right there and now, on his seventeenth birthday, and nothing was going to stop him from finally tasting her cherry pink lips.

Except for Videl herself, that is. He was but mere millimeters away from her lips when she placed both of her hands over his mouth, effectively stopping him. Gohan opened his eyes, dreading to see disgust or hatred, or even anger in her expression – but none of it reflected on her blue eyes.

She looked like she was… struggling, somehow. She looked sad and guilty and conflicted, and she was avoiding his gaze.

"You can't do that, Gohan." Her voice was but a whisper, uttering the words out with difficulty.

He tried to say, "Why not?" but her hands were still over his mouth and only muffled sounds came out. Videl seemed to understand him, however, and she shook her head in response.

"You just can't, okay? Promise me you won't try that again, or… or…" She bit down her lip, and then she looked at him with the most disheartened expression he had ever seen on her. "Or else we can't be friends anymore."

His heart shattered into a million pieces, along with his hopes. Videl removed her hands from his lips, but Gohan was unable to speak. His throat was dry, so tight and dry, and he swallowed with difficulty.

She was rejecting him.

Gohan couldn't believe it was happening. He had been so hopeful… He actually thought she might feel the same way about him, and yet…

He was heartbroken. He felt like he could cry, but he couldn't humiliate himself any further. It was bad enough that the girl he loved rejected him on his birthday.

"I'm so sorry, Gohan," she said, tears gathering in her eyes. His throat tightened. Oh no, not this. He didn't want to see her cry; it would only break his heart further – if that were even possible at this point…

"It… It's fine," he forced out, trying to smile. Good thing he had good practice with fake smiles. "I shouldn't have tried to…" He couldn't say it. It hurt too much. "Anyway, we're still friends, right?"

Videl smiled half-heartedly, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears, and then she did the worst thing she could have to his poor, poor heart: she hugged him, her arms around his neck. And she thanked him, over and over again, whispering to his ear.

And Gohan's arms reacted on their own, moving around her and holding her close against him. Having her like this, in his arms… Her sweet, peachy scent invading his nostrils, her breath brushing his ear, her soft, small body pressed against him, and her smooth skin… it was both the most amazing and heartbreaking feeling.

I love you, damn it, he screamed in his mind, his arms tightening around her, his eyes tightly shut. He hated this hopeless feeling that expanded rapidly in his chest. He didn't want them to be friends – he wanted to be with her. He wanted to be able to kiss her and go out on dates with her. And he wished he was allowed to love her, that he could show her just how much she meant to him.

If only that one dream could come true. But it was too late to make a wish and blow his birthday candles, now. It was too late; because Videl would never be his.

ooOoo

Gohan hopped down from Nimbus a few meters from the front door to his home and sighed heavily. He told himself to push Videl and what happened earlier that day out of his mind; it was his birthday, and he was going to celebrate it with his family. So far he'd been unsuccessful in not obsessing over the day's events, but maybe with Goten's excitement, he'd be able to forget for a little bit. He grimaced as he reached for the doorknob: his eyes felt hot and painful.

He walked through the front door and shut it back quietly. Leaving his shoes by the entrance, Gohan took a few steps into the living room, wondering why the lights were all off.

"SURPRISE!"

Well, that explained it. The lights were on in a flash, and all of his family and friends were reunited in the colorfully decorated room. There was even a banner to wish him a happy seventeenth birthday. Hiding their energy signatures had been pretty clever, Gohan mused.

"Happy birthday!" a chorus of voices shouted, not all at once. Gohan forced a broad smile and felt his eyes grow hot with unshed tears. It was only because he was so happy to see them, he told himself. It still didn't quell the painful, sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe his mother's delicious birthday dinner would help fill that aching void.


	6. You Don't Seem to Like Today Much, Either

Videl was having a nightmare.

It was the kind where you feel paralyzed, unable to move an inch no matter how hard you try while seeing the same thing over and over again. Videl was in a familiar deserted arena. The wind was blowing hard and huge explosions resounded, making the Earth shake and quake violently as if it was about to be blown to bits.

And then, silence. Dread filled Videl as she heard the reporter's voice ask, "Where is Cell? And that weird group of fighters?"

"I— _herm_ —I beat him! I killed Cell in one blow! Hahaha!"

That lie again. That awful, ugly, horrible lie. How she hated that dumb look her father had whenever he lied – it was hard to believe she ever found it amusing.

"Did you now?"

The monstrous creature appeared right in front of the news crew and her dad, its wings flapping angrily as it sneered at her father, who had blanched completely. She tried to scream, but her voice was as paralyzed as her whole body, and she could only watch with unshed tears as her only family fell to the ground with a wide, gaping hole through his chest.

"Now, who's next?" the grasshopper-like being taunted snidely, its forefinger forming a tiny, purple ball. The cameraman was dead before he could react, and then the reporter was slashed through his throat, Cell's sharp nails getting covered in blood.

Videl wanted to scream; she wished she could at least close her eyes and cover her ears – but there was nothing she could do, except watch and hear the sickening scene unfolding before her.

 _Please,_ she silently prayed. _Someone, please make it stop._

"And now, his disgusting offspring." Cell turned directly at her, and if she weren't already unable to move, Videl would have frozen on the spot.

_Oh no, no no no no no… Please…_

Its hand clasped around her throat and squeezed, slowly. She choked and tried to resist – somehow she was able to move now, of all times. She clawed at Cell's flesh, but nothing scratched its indestructible, "perfect" body. The perfect warrior, it'd proclaimed itself – and indeed it was.

And it was killing her.

Why was it taking its time with her? It had killed her father and the news crew in but an instant – and yet, with her, it preferred to slowly squeeze the life out of her.

"How pitiful. Don't you wish you weren't his daughter now?" Cell sneered hauntingly.

And she was dying.

When Videl woke up from the nightmare, it took her a few moments to realize it wasn't real, that she was all right, that Cell was long dead and couldn't hurt her, that her father was alive and well and so was the news crew.

Although, his ugly lie was still very much real.

Videl blew air out of her mouth, feeling heavy and drained of energy, and flopped back onto her bed. She looked at the clock on her night table and read 5:23 AM. Letting out another sigh, Videl figured she might as well get up and get ready for today: no matter how much she wished she could just sleep through this particular day, the girl knew she had no choice but to bear with it.

Today was May twenty-sixth – the anniversary of the Cell Games. The day of the year that she hated most.

Since it was pretty early, the girl took the long route on her morning jog. The city was still quiet; the sun was barely rising, and apart from some early worker or late night party doer, the streets were pretty much deserted.

The calm before the storm, Videl thought bitterly.

She put on her earphones and turned the volume to the maximum, letting the loud thumping tune distract her mind from her morose thoughts. And she ran. Her pace was steady at first, but the more she tried to block out the world and the meaning of this particular day, the faster she ran. It didn't take her long to end up racing as fast as she could. She got to the town park and didn't slow her pace. The world around her was but a blur – just the way she needed it to be. If only it could stay blurry until the end of the day.

x

Gohan hadn't felt like stalling long at breakfast this morning, so he'd quickly gulped down the pancakes and waffles and marmalade on bread, and in a blink he was already outside and soaring through the sky at full speed. Usually he would take Nimbus to go to school, so as not to be seen by the people below – but frankly he didn't care so much today. He was going too fast to be recognized anyway.

It was ironic how fast he was flying to get to the city, when in fact he wished he could've stayed in bed this morning. He really didn't feel like going to school, knowing that all everybody was going to do would be celebrate all day, reminisce and talk about the Cell Games, and of course of the great Hercule Satan.

He had nothing against the man – well, he didn't particularly like the way the current world champion spoke of his late father, but Gohan could overlook that; after all, Mr. Satan was just scared of something he didn't understand and did the most human thing about it: he rejected the mere idea of it. Besides, he was Videl's father, so Gohan was actually grateful to the man. Even if Videl had turned him down, she was still his first love, and she would always have a special place in his heart.

Thinking of her, Gohan naturally reached out his senses for her energy signature. He didn't expect to find her quite a distance away from her home or the school. Curiosity taking over him, Gohan quickly reached the city limits and landed, and then sprinted towards Videl's location. He found himself in a local park, and the green space made him smile. The Son boy did like the city and its streets bustling with life, but he would always feel more comfortable and at peace in the middle of nature.

He noticed that Videl was moving a lot, and quite fast for that matter. More and more curious, Gohan jogged towards her, letting his senses guide him.

She was running. Well, that made sense. But… Something felt a little off with her energy. And before Gohan knew what he was doing, he'd called out to her.

She didn't react at first, and Gohan wondered if she heard him at all. Then Videl slowed down and stopped in her tracks. She turned around, removing her earphones, her blue eyes wide in surprise at seeing him here. A little embarrassed at his lack of control, Gohan rubbed the back of his neck while walking over to meet up with her.

Birds were chirping around them, leaves were rustling musically to the rhythm of the wind; the trees cast their shadows over them, with only some rays of sunlight piercing through their branches and leaves. Gohan had to remind himself to breathe as he reached the beautiful girl in front of him. The sun rays seemed to glitter on her hair, on her skin, on her lips. She was like an angelic apparition, and Gohan swallowed with difficulty, willing himself not to listen to his urges to pull her to him and hold her close.

"Hey," she greeted. "What are you doing here? Is the park on your way to school or something?"

"… Something like that," he said in a low voice, digging his hands into his pockets. He eyed her in concern. "Is everything all right, Videl?"

She frowned slightly and then shook her head, but Gohan wasn't sure whether it was to answer him or to clear her mind. "It's nothing. I better get back home to get ready for school," she said, glancing at her watch. "I guess I lost track of time while I was running."

She took off jogging before he could say anything in response. Gohan let out a heavy sigh. Things were still awkward between him and Videl since his birthday – or, more precisely, since he'd tried to kiss her and got rejected.

He tried to act normal around her. He really did. But it was so hard sometimes. Whenever she smiled, laughed, or looked troubled, confused or upset; whenever he talked to her, worried for her, gazed upon her, wished he could kiss her… It was only breaking his heart a little more, time and time again.

Like now. Gohan knew Videl had left in a hurry because of how he felt about her, and he was aware that if it weren't for that one slip-up on his birthday, she would have stayed longer to hang out with him. Maybe even walk a little ways with him before going home.

Yeah. He sure screwed things up with Videl.

Letting out another sigh, and feeling even more dejected than before, Gohan took his time walking to school. And although it took him thirty minutes to get to the school grounds – he even had time to stop a car chase on the way – the teen still had time to spare before class started.

Seeing as it was the anniversary of the Cell Games today the students only had class in the morning, and then for the rest of the afternoon, it was the Victory Festival, honoring Mr. Satan saving the world from Cell. Needless to say, Gohan did not look forward to attending the festival. Unfortunately, it was mandatory, since the teachers asked for a report on what they did today and how they felt about Mr. Satan's victory in the Cell Games, and blah blah blah. It was all pointless anyway.

His steps naturally led him to the library. Unsurprisingly, it was pretty much void of visitors like usual, which Gohan was thankful for, lest he met someone who would want to chat with him about Mr. Satan, the festival or whatever. He was not in the mood to listen politely today. Although, he knew something like that was bound to happen sooner or later.

For right now, though, Gohan wanted to relax.

Ten minutes before class, the double doors were pushed open and Gohan looked up at the sound. He raised his eyebrows; he hadn't expected to see Videl again so soon today. She walked into the library and heaved out a deep, tired sigh. When she looked up, her gaze naturally met with his, and he smiled sheepishly, waving at her a bit awkwardly. It made her chuckle, though, so Gohan allowed himself a grin, while Videl walked over to the desk he was sitting at, before taking the seat across from him.

"Hi again," he said softly.

She cracked a small smile. "Hey. Sorry about earlier."

"It's all right." His voice lowered and he avoided her eye. "I know this… awkward tension between us, is my fault anyway."

"Don't say that…" Her hand reached over to touch his much bigger one, and although it was only prickling his heart more, Gohan allowed it.

"You know, I actually thought I had a real chance with you," he said, smiling sadly. Unwilling to look at her, his eyes focused on her small, soft hand, gently holding his rough one, finding the contrast somewhat amusing. He sighed heavily, "I actually believed you maybe liked me, as more than a friend. How naïve of me, huh?"

He winced slightly. He hadn't meant to sound so… bitter, but he really couldn't help how he was feeling. He hated himself for saying such pitiful things to her. He hated that he couldn't get over his feelings for her. And to some extent, he hated that he loved Videl.

It just hurt so much.

"You…" started Videl, her whisper barely audible. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand distractedly, and she chewed on her lower lip. "You weren't that far off."

His fingers trembled slightly in her hold. What was she saying…? She couldn't mean… No, that wouldn't make sense. Had his assumption been correct that Videl did feel the same way about him, she would have had no reason to reject him, would she?

He dared look up at her, his throat tight with anxiousness. But she wasn't looking at him. She was, like he had just a second ago, staring at their joined hand, fidgeting nervously.

"… What do you mean?" he asked slowly, hesitantly; he wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

The bell rang, and Videl quickly let go of his hand, muttering, "Forget it," before getting up and leaving the library to go to class.

And Gohan just stared after her, even long after she was gone. He felt utterly confused. But the boy forbade himself to get hopeful, not this time. He couldn't get his heart broken twice by the same girl because of misinterpretation – once had been more than enough.

It was only when the second bell rang that Gohan realized he was late for class. So much for getting to school early…

ooOoo

The Victory Festival was everywhere. It was in the classrooms and even outside, where students had prepared special activities for the event; it was in the cafeteria, where people could buy the themed-specialties cooked by a professional chef. And it was even in the library, which had been taken over by more activities.

The place had never been so loud. Needless to say, Mrs. Huston was not happy. But since she couldn't do anything about it, she simply took her day off and went home early, hoping the crazy kids weren't going to destroy her precious library.

Videl wasn't so happy about it, either. The library had always been her favorite place to relax when she wanted to be left alone – or more recently when she wanted to spend time with Gohan, although, not so much since the 'incident' on his birthday. The library was _her_ place – and now it was just another loud, crowded room.

Sighing in resignation, Videl told Erasa she was going somewhere else and left. Just as she walked through the doors, she bumped into Gohan. Oddly enough, the force of the collision almost made her fall backward – if it weren't for Gohan catching her in time, that is. His arm held her around her back firmly and they both blushed at the position. Yet he didn't let go.

"You okay?" he asked, as red-faced as he looked worried. His kindness always made her melt…

"Yeah… Thanks," she said, her hands clasped on his shirt as she straightened up.

It was then that Videl noticed that he'd changed for a short-sleeved shirt, probably because of the heat today, and for the first time, Videl saw that Gohan wasn't as scrawny as he looked – not in the least. His arms were in fact well-toned, his muscles lean yet bulging and as defined as the finest work of art. The term _Greek God_ crossed her mind.

She gulped.

"The library's crowded too, huh?" he said, his hand holding one of the doors slightly open while he glanced inside.

"Yeah," replied Videl, willing herself not to stare at his arms. "Mrs. Huston left early because of them."

"Aww, poor Mrs. Huston." He let go of the door and let it shut again. "Ah, where shall we go now? Our sanctuary has been defiled!"

Gohan let out a dramatic sigh, and Videl laughed at his joke. He grinned, looking at her with that special sparkle in his onyx eyes. Videl grinned back at him, and for the first time, there was no awkwardness between them.

"Let's go outside then," she suggested. "We should be able to find a spot with no people, right?"

"We could always climb on a tree."

Videl cracked up again. The guy actually looked dead serious, too. He was just too cute.

x

They were lying on the grass, side by side, at the very back of the yard – they were almost outside of the school property, really. But at least there was nobody around to disturb them, and lying there together felt nice and peaceful.

After a while, Gohan propped himself up with his elbow and let his head rest upon his open palm, looking at Videl.

"Hey, Videl," he called softly.

She kept her eyes closed as she replied, "Yeah?"

"Is there something troubling you?"

The unexpected question made her blink her eyes open. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm not sure…" Gohan sat up, cross-legged, his brow furrowed in deep thought. "You look a bit better now, but you seemed a bit… off, today."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "Well, I could say to same to you, Mr. Genius," she said playfully. "You seem to be avoiding this festival as much as me. Any particular reason for that?"

He scratched his hair at the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Well, I guess you could say that."

Videl sat up to face him, her curiosity piqued. "How come?"

"Um… It's kinda… complicated?" he said, sounding like he wasn't sure himself. She rolled her eyes and started to poke him on his sides.

"Oh come on, tell me. If you tell me your reason, I might tell you mine," she proposed.

"Oh, so _I_ have to tell you, but you _might_ , huh?" he smirked, grabbing her hand firmly yet gently, to stop her poking.

"Yep. Well? I'm waiting, you know," she said, a smirk mirroring his own tugging at her lips.

"No way. I'm not telling you _anything_ ," he said, chuckling. "You have to tell me first, and then _I_ might tell you, too."

"Oh, getting rebellious, aren't we?" she teased.

"Well, you only have yourself to blame."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you have a bad influence on me, obviously."

"Oh, really?"

Before he knew it, Gohan's face was dripping with water: Videl had splashed him with her water bottle and was now laughing her head off at the disbelieving look on his face.

"Oh now you're in for it…!" he said, a silly grin stretching his lips.

He took her bottle while she was laughing and emptied it over her head, effectively drenching her. He then quickly got up and started running. Videl immediately followed after him, chasing him around the yard. She couldn't stop laughing as she ran, and Gohan seemed to have the same problem.

As they neared the sports yards, Videl noticed a hose lying by and smirked. Perfect. She quickly ran towards it, picked it up and aimed it at Gohan.

His laughter only got louder while she sprayed him with the hose. The moment Videl stopped drenching him, however, the tall boy moved fast and took the green tube from her, spraying her with it this time.

They kept playing with water and were soaked to the bone in no time. And then they got in trouble when a teacher walked by. As the woman sputtered and scolded them, giving them detention, the pair had a hard time keeping a straight face.

"Two hours, Saturday! Two weeks in a row!" It might seem a bit harsh, but they were clearly not sorry at all – she had to do something drastic.

"We're – we're really sorry, ma'am," said Gohan, biting down his lip as he tried to hold himself from bursting out laughing.

"Yeah we're – what he said," added Videl, fidgeting as she struggled to stay focused. Or at least to look sorry.

"Now go change into dry clothes!" ordered the woman, obviously upset that these students – such reasonable students normally, too – were acting in such a disrespectful manner.

"Yes ma'am!" they both saluted, and the teacher huffed indignantly and left.

And they burst out laughing. They laughed so much and so hard, it was starting to hurt their stomachs and tears were coming out of their eyes. They laughed together and didn't seem to care that they were completely drenched – on this hot day, it actually felt quite pleasant.

"Man, I got a detention," said Gohan when they started calming down. "My mom won't be happy."

"Well, I guess you were right. I really am a bad influence on you. I apologize, Mr. Genius."

She bowed low to him for dramatic effect, and it took Gohan all he had not to go into another laughing fit. They both grinned at each other, still giggling like little kids.

"Thanks for that, Gohan," she said, smiling at him. "I really needed a good laugh today."

"Glad I could help," he replied, grinning back at her. He shook his head, chuckling as water flew around him from his wet, yet still gravity-defying hair. "Man, I'm _drenched_."

And then Videl froze. Gohan had taken off his t-shirt – and, oh god, the guy was _ripped_. His abs, his pectorals, his strong neck, his shoulders, his arms… Everything was sculpted so perfectly, so tauntingly – screw Greek God statues, Gohan looked way, _way_ better. He was absolutely gorgeous. And hot. God, he looked so hot.

So tempting…

He seemed to notice her staring at him, and a mischievous smirk formed on his lips. "What's the matter, Videl?"

She didn't reply. More precisely, she _couldn't_. She was unable to form a single word, a single coherent thought. She heard him chuckle, and then the heat on her face intensified as the young man leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Am I making you nervous, Videl?"

Ah, what was he doing? Couldn't he see just how troubled she was because of him? Because he looked so damn hot that she was feeling all warm and tingly? Why must he tease her, to top it off?

One of his hands touched her arm, ever so gently, and the warmth was rapidly spreading over her whole body. Videl swallowed hard, and loudly, and the tall boy hovering above her let out a low, rumbling chuckle.

Oh boy. What was he _doing_ to her?

And then something odd happened – his hot lips pressed near her ear, just between her jaw and neck, and Videl remembered perfectly how 'Saiyaman' had done the exact same thing, kissing her on this very spot.

Her conflicted feelings were mixed with her want of Gohan. She didn't know what this meant. She didn't understand why this boy could affect her so much, drive her crazy with unspeakable thoughts and desires. She couldn't shake the feeling that this occurrence wasn't a coincidence, that it was too big to be one. That him kissing her there, of all places, had to somehow link Gohan with Saiyaman.

And then she caught sight of something shining to the sun's glare: his wristwatch. And for what seemed like the very first time, Videl really looked at it. The exact same watch. And then she looked up at Gohan, her lips slightly parted as his intense eyes seemed to pierce through her.

It was the same eyes, she realized. The same look. The same intensity – just a different color.

The words that left her mouth then, caused him to pale completely.

"You're him," she whispered, suddenly feeling breathless. "You're Saiyaman."


	7. Please Don't Hate Me

The problem when he was with Videl, was that he couldn't think straight. So he hadn't thought much into it when he planted a soft kiss just below her jawline; he'd just gone with the flow, letting his amusement at her reaction to seeing him shirtless get to him and make him slip-up. And he didn't even realize he was in trouble while he had locked eyes with her. Naïvely, his heart began hoping again. Hoping that Videl might, just might be feeling something more for him than only friendship. That she might be attracted to him – and she was certainly looking so, with the way she'd been staring at him.

And then those dreadful, dooming words escaped her lips in a hushed, disbelieved breath. She stared at him, her face still flushed. But her eyes… her blue eyes were so accusing and hurting.

And Gohan blanched, some sense coming back to his head as he realized what he'd just done. What he'd already done, as someone else; as a person with whom he should have no link whatsoever. And he'd been so careful not to meet with Videl again as "him"; as this superhero character he had created.

"You're him, aren't you?" she said again, her words sounding more like a statement than a question.

A big, constricting lump had formed in his throat; Gohan tried to say something in response – but what could he say? How could he attempt lying to her again when, one, he was such a terrible liar she would see through it right away, and two, he hated lying to her more than anything and knew how much she despised lies? But how to go with the truth? She looked so betrayed and hurt already; how could he confirm something that would only hurt her more?

"Please, Gohan, tell me." She looked so… vulnerable, all of a sudden. Imploring him. She held his arm and looked up to him with big, teary blue eyes. "Please don't lie to me."

Ugh… How could he be so cruel and do the one thing she hated most when she was looking at him like this? So desperate, so pleading… He swallowed hard, his throat tight, his palms sweaty. He had to tell her, didn't he?

More than that, Gohan realized – he wanted to. He wanted her to know this part of him, and he wanted to trust her with his secret.

"I… Y-Yes. I am. I'm Saiyaman."

x

She thought she would be relieved to hear him admit it. That truth was always better than lies – but not this time. Videl actually wished that Gohan and Saiyaman weren't one and the same. That Gohan hadn't engaged this double-dealing, that he hadn't played with her feelings like he had. Flirt with her as one guy, be friendly as another. And then avoid her as Saiyaman, while Gohan slowly but surely made his way to her thoughts and into her heart.

Something foreign was blurring her sight, and she took a few steps back. Away from him. From this liar. This player. This boy who meant more to her than she dared to admit; the one person who was capable of hurting her, which was exactly what he had done.

Were those… tears? It had been so long since she'd last cried, it felt odd. Salty and wet. Ugh, she was actually crying! And the tears just kept coming, no matter how many times she wiped them away.

Gohan looked absolutely aghast, his face even paler than before, and she turned away from him, ashamed and unwilling to let him see her in such a pitiful state.

"Videl…"

She heard him take a few steps to her, and her first instinct was to flee. Run away from him, from this school, from this damned festival. From this hateful day.

She knew she would've been better off staying in bed this morning.

x

Oh god, oh god. She was crying. He actually made the one person who meant the most to him cry. Gohan was rooted on the spot, his heart tearing further apart from seeing her like this, as she fruitlessly tried to stop more tears from coming.

He'd whispered her name, starting towards her, when she turned away from him, and saw her stiffen. He instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand, even before she could start running – because he knew she was about to run away from him. And he just couldn't let her. Not like this. Not ever.

His body reacted before his mind did, and he pulled Videl to him, holding her close against him. His arms encircled her as she tried to struggle, tried to push him away and only cried harder. Gohan closed his eyes tightly and didn't let go. He couldn't, wouldn't let her go. She was too precious to him. Too important.

She sobbed against his chest and eventually stopped struggling – she even leaned into him, her small fists tightly closed against his bare torso.

"I'm so sorry, Videl," he said in her ear, his desperate voice but a murmur. "Please don't hate me. I'm so sorry."

He kept whispering in her ear, apologizing to her over and over again. He felt so awful, he hated himself so much for lying to her and pretending to be someone else. He had no excuse. She had all the reasons to hate him – yet the mere idea of Videl hating him was unbearable to him and tightened the lump caught in his throat. He just wouldn't be able to deal with it if she ever did.

So he just kept her in his arms and held her close, as if life itself depended on it – and for him, indeed it did. Videl meant everything to him. He needed her too much.

Damn it, he _loved_ her.

ooOoo

As she walked through the front door, Videl caught sight of her reflection in the mirror at the entryway and made a face. Her eyes were red and puffy, her complexion sickly pale. She looked just terrible.

The teen let out a sigh, dragging her feet to her bedroom. Good thing her father was out for the day, probably giving his stupid speech at the festival. Even the house workers had had their day off, so she was completely alone in the enormous mansion – which she was more than glad for.

Once she got in her room, she immediately started stripping herself and without a pause, walked to her personal bathroom. She turned the water on and avoided looking at her reflection as she got inside the tub, the hot water slowly filling up around her.

_Gohan is Saiyaman._

The notion wasn't quite registered in her mind still. She just couldn't believe it had been Gohan all along. That he pretended so easily as this "Saiyaman" persona of his. That if she hadn't found him out, he would have kept deceiving her, and she wouldn't have ever known that Saiyaman and he were the same person.

_Saiyaman is Gohan._

And they were so different from each other. While Saiyaman was confident and even a little arrogant, Gohan was shy and humble. Saiyaman had flirted with her on their first meeting, while Gohan, when she'd met him, had only managed to get on her nerves – even though it had been out of genuine concern. Actually, that wasn't their real, first meeting, she corrected herself. It had been after that bank robbery on his first day, wasn't it? The robbery he had stopped, she realized.

Well, that explained his lying about what he saw. Or rather, what he did.

It was the one thing Gohan and Saiyaman had in common: they were both liars. Obviously, since they were the same person. She still didn't fully comprehend it.

_How does he change his looks like that?_

This part was one of the most confusing, because as Saiyaman, his hair and eyes looked very much _real_ , with no artifice or trick to change their color. He definitely wasn't wearing contact lenses – these things were too obvious. His hair looked natural – surreal, yes, but completely natural. And what was up with this glowing thing, and the warm aura? How could it even be possible?

Videl sighed, diving her chin into the water. The tub was nearly full now, and she waited some more before turning off the faucet. She let the warm water relax her tense muscles, and let her eyes fall shut, leaning her head back.

Her mind went to unforgivable places, reminding her how it felt to be held in his arms. His big, strong, bare arms. How she could hear his frantic heartbeat racing, thumping against her cheek. How his breath felt on her skin, as he kept whispering apologies in her ear, over and over again. How warm and soothing it had felt.

How close and desperately he'd held her. How amazing, wonderful it'd been to feel so… treasured. And god, how she craved to be in his arms again. To be held by him, all the time.

If only…

She felt pathetic. Here she was, fantasizing about a guy who had been lying to her from the moment they met. What was _wrong_ with her?

 _Can't believe it was him all along,_ she thought for what seemed like the umpteenth time today. And then Videl blinked her eyes open, a new thought occurring to her. What should she do about Erasa? She was her best friend, and she was unknowingly in love with a superhero in disguise. And yet Videl knew she couldn't possibly tell her about this. It wasn't her secret to share, but at the same time didn't Erasa have the right to know who she was really dealing with?

She dove her head underwater in frustration, holding her breath as she stayed there for as long as possible. The peaceful silence was welcome; it allowed her mind to shut down for a short while. But unfortunately, she eventually had to come out, gasping for air.

She wiped her face with her hands and noticed the wrinkles on her fingertips. But she wasn't ready to come out just yet; she wasn't ready to go out and face the world. It was safe here, in the bathtub. As long as she was in there, the outside world couldn't reach her.

 _As if,_ thought Videl tiredly. From the moment she soaked in the warm water, she did nothing but think of this mess that was her life. Sometimes she wished she had a normal life, with normal friends and a normal father who wasn't a fake. And even a normal boyfriend – after all normal girls had normal boyfriends, right? One that her best friend wasn't already infatuated with, if possible.

But no, she couldn't have all that, could she? Her dad was still a fraud, she was friends with a frigging superhero who also happened to be the only guy she'd ever taken an interest in, but of course, her best friend liked him first. Some impossible situation this was.

It would've been easier if Gohan had feelings for Erasa, but noooo, the idiot actually liked _her_ , of all people. Damn it. Damn it all.

A normal life? What was that?

x

Erasa was a little worried about Videl. She didn't know the exact reason, but Videl had always hated the Victory Festival. Ever since her dad had saved the world, in fact, she only seemed to become more and more distant with the man. At first, Erasa had tried to make her friend tell her the reason, but after a while she decided to let it slide, hoping that one day Videl would come to her by herself and confide in her.

She'd barely seen her at all today, though, since the festival began, and Videl wasn't responding to her calls either. The blonde thought of letting her be, but something in her guts told her Videl needed her friendship right now.

Erasa knew the house staff wasn't working at Videl's place today, like every year on this day, so it might be a little tricky to get inside. Videl might not even be home or hear her ring the bell if she was listening to her crazy music with the volume to the maximum. Usually, it wasn't much of a problem since there were always maids and butlers to answer the door for her – but not today. Eying the tall, impressive mansion, Erasa tried to call Videl yet again.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she pushed her cell phone into her purse and walked over to ring the intercom. Only once or twice at first, but then her impatience got to her and she just kept pressing the button on the intercom, over and over again.

"Dammit Videl, answer me," she said through gritted teeth. Where could she be? If Videl wasn't home and wasn't answering her phone, how was she supposed to find her?

And then a miracle happened.

"Y-Yes! Sorry!" the breathless voice answered at last. "Who is it?"

"Who do you _think_ , dummy?" she said impatiently. "Care to open the gates for me?"

"Oh! Erasa! Uh, sure, just a moment."

There was some shuffling and muttering, as Videl seemed to have trouble figuring out the locked system – how nice must it be to have people doing all the daily stuff for you, huh. Unless when they're not around, that is.

Finally, the tall gates were pulled open and Erasa was able to walk along the luxuriously decorated pathway to reach the door. She waited for Videl to open it for her, and waited some more, and then she sighed in frustration. Such a big house really wasn't convenient.

The doors were jerked open, "Sorry!" said Videl.

Erasa raised an eyebrow at the bathrobe wrapped in obvious haste around the other girl, the belt loosely tied about her waist. Videl ushered her inside and led her to the kitchen, using a towel to dry her hair as the blonde took a seat on a bar stool.

"You were pretty insistent with that bell, huh?" said Videl, finishing to wrap the towel around her head and serving some cold drinks.

"Sorry," said Erasa with a sheepish smile. "I was afraid you weren't home, and you weren't answering your phone either so… yeah."

"Sorry about that." Videl took a seat on a bar stool as well, sitting across from her. "I think I forgot it today."

"Right, you 'forgot it', like, it was totally accidental," said Erasa, rolling her eyes.

"You know me too well." Videl cracked a smile.

 _She seems normal enough,_ thought the blond-haired girl, eying the brunette while they chatted about this and that. _Maybe I worried too much._

And yet she wasn't so sure about that, either. Something did feel off with Videl, and it appeared to be more than just today's date. Her smiles were mild, her chuckles half-hearted, her attention not so focused. Something was definitely going on, and Erasa wasn't sure whether she should try and make Videl spill it, or wait for her to confide in her by herself.

In the end, Erasa went for the latter. If Videl was going through something, she wasn't going to force it out of her and possibly make matters worse. They were the best of friends – surely Videl would eventually confide in her, right?

ooOoo

Gohan had thought it all through pretty much all night – and yet he still didn't come to a decision. After he'd held Videl back and kept her close against him, when they'd pulled apart, the atmosphere became so awkward they both simply parted ways with bright, deep blushes of embarrassment.

And the boy was trying to figure out what to do with Videl. Should he tell her everything about him? Should he give up on her? Or on the contrary, should he keep trying to win her over? Something was blocking her, but it didn't seem to be because she didn't share his feelings. That meant he did have a shot with her, and if that was really the case, however slim his chance may be, Gohan was more than willing to put his heart at risk again.

There was still the issue of whether or not he should tell Videl everything about him. Now that she knew Saiyaman was him, she was bound to wonder about the story behind him, not to mention his Super Saiyan transformation. This would be the trickiest part; Gohan was more than reluctant to tell her about his origins. Besides, wasn't it a little too soon to tell her? They've known each other for, what, two months? A little less than that. It may have been enough to fall for her, but not likely to tell her about his alien heritage.

Although… If she asked him directly, lying to her was out of the question. Not after the way she reacted yesterday… He was still feeling sick in the stomach just thinking that he'd made Videl, his precious Videl cry.

But would that mean…? Could he really tell her _everything_ if she happened to ask him the right questions?

The boy was on his way to school, sitting on his golden cloud. He tried to swallow a lump forming in his throat, feeling his hands grow sweaty from anxiety and wiping them on his brown pants.

He could only pray that it was going to end well, for him as well as for Videl.

Preferably with them ending up together.

ooOoo

The day following the Victory Festival, the school was still in quite a mess, even though it was cleaned up the day before. The library was no exception, sadly, so Gohan had quite a lot to do after class that day. He didn't mind so much. Chores weren't "chores" to him, _per se_. They allowed him to get his mind off of things – and with the current complicated situation with Videl, he more than needed it.

Besides, he was hoping to see her walk through those double doors soon enough. Although, at the same time, he was dreading the moment she would – he was still unsure as to what to do and what to tell her. Yet, he would always feel restless when she wasn't around, wishing he could see her and spend time with her. Missing her, to put it simply.

It was so tough to be in love.

An hour into his work at the library, Gohan was starting to lose hope to see her today. An odd feeling of longing mixed with relief filled him, and the young man let out a heavy sigh as he glanced yet again at his watch.

He still needed to talk to her, however, feelings of dread or not. He had to at least know if she was still his friend, and whether she was still mad at him or had forgiven him. He hoped with all his heart that it was the latter. Even if it would only be as friends, even if she still didn't want to be more, not seeing her at all would be much worse than that. He cared about her too much to let it happen, and he was willing to wait if time was what she needed. Or do whatever it was she needed in order to finally be with her.

For now though, staying just friends was fine. For now.

He took out his brand new cell phone (he'd only gotten it since he started high school) and browsed through his contact list for Videl's name. His fingers hesitated on the buttons of the device, pondering on the cleverness of calling or texting her. If he called her she might not pick up, and he wasn't confident enough to leave a voice message. A text would be more convenient in that way, but if she didn't answer or ignored it he would still be in the same point as now. Well, it was still better than taking no action at all, he figured.

So he began to type a text, having some trouble while doing so seeing as he wasn't quite used to texting yet. He read over what he wrote several times as he typed, and a few more when he was done. Letting out a tired sigh, he was finally ready to send the text to Videl – but he was still unsure on whether it was a good idea. Maybe he'd better leave her alone until she came to him by herself because, surely, there were things she would want to ask him about his Saiyaman thing. Maybe she needed her space, and he should give her that.

In the end, he decided the hell with it, and pressed the button on his phone to send the message.

… Just as the double doors were pushed open, followed by a distinct melodic beep. Gohan blinked, a smile itching on his lips as he watched Videl reach for her cell phone in her bag to check her texts – the one he'd just sent her.

He walked over to her and before she could start reading, grabbed her hand to stop her. "I sent you a text asking you to come here. It was me just now," he explained, unable to stop a smile from stretching out his lips.

What could he say? He was just happy to see her.

"Oh. Okay," she said in reply, letting her arm fall to her side.

Her lack of reaction, or at least of her usual wit, caused Gohan's smile to falter. He looked away nervously and scratched at the hair on the base of his neck, his cheeks reddening ever so slightly.

"Um, mind if we go over there to talk?" he offered, motioning to the rows of bookcases with his head.

"… Sure."

A dreadful feeling was forming in the pit of his stomach. As they walked over, behind the shelves and out of sight of anyone passing by – mostly only Mrs. Huston – Gohan couldn't help feeling pessimistic by Videl's catatonic response. Was there really no hope for them? Not even to go back to the way they were before he screwed everything up?

"School's been out for a while. What have you been up to?" he asked, hoping to get her to speak more than two words.

"I was training at the boxing club," she replied, unknowingly making Gohan feel relieved at the full sentence. "Well, mostly using their punching bags really."

He then noticed just how nice she smelled – such a sweet scent of peaches, as always. He gulped, figuring that she must be just out of the shower. Noting how her hair wasn't completely dry. How she was only wearing a somewhat baggy, white tank top over a tight, black one. How beautiful her legs looked in those loose jeans shorts. How desirable she was, right now.

Damn. He wanted her so much.

"Don't you have things to ask me?" he said quickly, keen to distract his mind and the indecent train of his thoughts.

She leaned back against the shelf behind her and looked sideways, playing with her left pigtail. "What's the point? Aren't you going to lie again anyway?"

"I'm not," he affirmed, with no hesitation. His confident tone made her look back at him, her eyebrows raised, and he took that opportunity to move a little closer to her – which was maybe not the smartest move seeing how madly attracted to her he was right now. Her sweet scent was intoxicating, and while Gohan only wanted to close his eyes and bask in it as much as possible, he forced himself to focus. "Not anymore," he continued. "Not ever. You can ask me anything. I will answer with the truth, and only the truth."

He was aware of how risky this promise was, but he couldn't imagine lying to her ever again after what happened yesterday. He never wanted to see tears in Videl's beautiful eyes again, not if he could help it. And certainly not ones caused by him – never again.

"Anything?" she asked cautiously, not quite convinced still. "Anything at all?"

He took another step to her. "Yes, anything. No more lies – ever."

She was so close now, so tempting and desirable. The gap between them was so little you could barely fit in a tennis ball, and Gohan noticed how her breath seemed to get quicker. He could not stop the tiny smile from curling the corner of his mouth.

She was attracted to him, all right. Now, if only he could get her to accept his feelings…

"Then how – how do you change?" she whispered breathlessly, not taking her eyes off of his as she was more and more backed up against the wooden shelf. "Your hair… and your eyes. And the glowing thing. How do you do it?"

Well, he didn't know how she managed to stay focused while obviously struggling to do so – he could hardly refrain himself from closing the distance and kissing her.

God, how he died to kiss her…

"I'm not normal," he answered, his fingers itching to touch her skin. It looked so smooth, so irresistible. "I get it from my dad's side."

It seemed to confuse her. Was he really going to have to tell her he was half-alien?

"What do you mean?"

"My parents didn't know when they got married," he said, struggling to find a way to phrase it while Videl was so… so distracting. By this point he was speaking really fast, as if he couldn't wait to be done with it. "When I was about four, a strange man came looking for my dad, said he was from an alien race of warriors and that—"

"Aliens?" she repeated in a whisper, her pupils dilating in surprise.

"Yes, aliens," he confirmed. It was hard enough concentrating when she wasn't interrupting him. "He claimed to be my dad's older brother."

She swallowed audibly. "And was he? Your father's brother?"

He only nodded his head, not taking his eyes off of her. Moving even closer to her, he touched her cheek lightly, and chose his words carefully. "Do I scare you?"

She didn't say anything. Her mouth parted slightly, her eyes not leaving his for even a moment; his hand on her smooth cheek. He repeated the question, getting restless. He needed to know how she felt about all this. That she was okay with it and wasn't going to run away scared. That he actually had a chance of a future with her.

It felt like an eternity had passed when she finally answered.

"I…" she paused, and broke eye contact with him as she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I don't think so," she finally said, before looking at him again. "I know you're a good person. A liar, yes. But you have a kind heart."

He cracked a smile, relief washing over him. "I only lied because I had to. If I went around telling people who I really am, how do you think they'd react?"

"Call you crazy?" she said, the hint of a joke in her tone.

"Well I would've had proof anyway," he said in response. "But you see my point."

"I guess…" she said, looking thoughtful. "Then why are you telling me? Why did you decide to tell me the truth?"

"Because I hate myself so much for making you cry," he uttered out, the vivid memory of her tear-filled eyes still haunting him. She blushed slightly in embarrassment at the mention of her crying. So cute. "Because I trust you. And because…"

She seemed to lean over him some more, as if eager to hear the rest. She was so close, so damn close. Her lips were tantalizing. How much longer would he have to resist?

"And because I… I can't help how I feel about you," he whispered, his heart drumming against his ribcage as he spoke out loud his feelings for her for the first time. "Because I'm falling for you, and I can't stop it. I'm falling so hard, Videl. You have to give me a chance…"

He was closing the distance between them, almost completely, and aimed for her lips. He just couldn't fight it anymore. He wanted her too much; he wanted her all to himself. And damn it, he was going to kiss this girl.

"Go… Gohan…" she breathed out, swallowing. She was tensing up, he could tell. "What are you… doing…?"

"I'm going to kiss you," he replied, just as breathless. Their lips were so close now, he was sure she could feel his breath mingling with hers, just as he could.

"You… You can't… Don't…"

She said that, but she wasn't pushing him away this time. On the contrary, her body seemed to lean towards him as well, going against her words. What did she actually want? What was stopping her from giving in to him?

"I can't hold back any longer," he said, his voice so low it was barely audible. "I want to be with you, Videl. I need you so much…"

He had her completely backed up against the shelves, his hand still cupping her cheek while his knee slid between her legs to keep her there. His other hand rested above her head, the elbow against the bookcase, while she gripped the wood behind her with both hands.

"Please… don't… we can't…"

He looked at her through half-lidded eyes. Could he really stop now? He really didn't want to, and although she was saying otherwise, Videl obviously didn't want him to stop, either – maybe as much as he didn't.

"Don't you at least like me?" he risked himself asking, praying for a positive answer.

"I… I…" She looked torn about something. "It-It doesn't matter. I can't," she finally said, her cryptic words only making him confused.

"If you say you don't like me, I won't kiss you," he decided, albeit reluctantly.

"Gohan…"

She had closed her eyes, so as not to look at him, and Gohan inched a little closer again. "Say it, or I'm kissing you."

"I… I…"

He smiled in triumph and stroked her cheek with his thumb, letting his eyes slide shut as well. "I'm kissing you, then."

"Gohan… Please… We can't…" she pleaded again, almost panting.

He felt a pang in his heart at her protest. Seriously, what _was_ stopping her from letting him kiss her? Why wouldn't she give in?

He decided to go for it anyway. The tension they built up was too much, they'd gone too far – he just couldn't stop now, even if he'd wanted to. And he sure as hell didn't.

His hand moved to her chin and lifted her head slightly. She whispered his name again, although he wasn't sure whether it was another protest or a moan of anticipation. A little of both, perhaps.

He murmured one last thing to her, before finally tasting her tempting lips.

"Please don't hate me for this…"


	8. You. Me. Fireworks.

"Okay guys, that's all for today."

Erasa smiled to herself as she took the time to admire the perfect outfit she'd put together on the mannequin, while the other members of the fashion club were already putting away their stuff and getting ready to head off. She wasn't in any hurry to leave, herself. She loved fashion, and she loved being a member of this club. It was the highlight of her day.

Well, excluding the times she hung out with Gohan, of course.

Yet the thought of her crush didn't put a smile on her face like it used to. The blonde girl wasn't blind, and she was well aware that her feelings for Gohan were one-sided. He obviously didn't see her that way or he would've asked her out long ago, or at least shown some interest in dating her. She tried dropping hints at him or even flirt with him, but the guy was desperately oblivious to it all and still treated her like a friend, and only a friend. He was so clueless about how she felt about him, the girl was losing hope.

Letting out a sigh, Erasa took her time gathering her stuff and left the club room.

It didn't help that the only girl he ever did look at happened to be her best friend.

It was so obvious that he liked Videl; it was killing her. Of all people, her best friend was the only one he would notice, the only one he would look at with such a soft and gentle expression. Erasa just didn't know what to do. The very thought of them ever getting together broke her heart, and at this point it seemed like it was only a matter of time before it happened. Even Videl didn't look insensible to Gohan's boyish charm – of _course_ she wasn't, this was _Gohan_ she was talking about. It was inevitable. Her best friend and the boy she'd liked for months were bound to get together, sooner or later. The only thing that might slow down the process would be Videl's devotion to their friendship – but seriously, who could resist Son Gohan for long?

She'd hoped Videl's interest in 'Saiyaman' would keep her away from Gohan, but Videl's encounters with the mysterious superhero had become scarcer and scarcer as of late and, unfortunately, no one else seemed to catch her crime-fighting friend's interest.

Well, no one but Gohan, that is.

A heavy weight tightened her chest as she pictured Gohan and Videl becoming a couple with her as the third wheel. _They would make a cute couple_ , she admitted in resignation. At least two people she cared very much about would be happy together, even though it'd be to her detriment.

If only Gohan would look at her the way he looked at Videl.

"Hey Erasa, you have a minute?"

Closing her locker door, the girl turned to the tall boy standing to her left with a raised eyebrow. She wasn't too familiar with the guy, but he was pretty popular at school. Reece Blann. A talented basketball player with good looks to top it off. His tanned skin went particularly well with his light brown hair and bright green eyes. And the best part? He was actually a pretty nice guy.

She didn't know how he knew her name but her sweet smile was glued on her face in a heartbeat. "Sure."

He flashed her a charming smile, and Erasa leaned back against the row of lockers, playing with her hair as she looked at him. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Of course," she replied, perhaps a little too eagerly. "Anything for the team, right?"

ooOoo

Fireworks. They exploded in the sky in a beautiful mix of colors and figures, making the earth quake as the deafening ruckus boomed. It was breathtaking. It was overwhelming. It was impossible to really describe. It was the most beautiful feeling.

It didn't even compare to how it felt to be kissed by Gohan.

It felt like fireworks – yet it was so much grander than that. The touch of his lips was gentle, so gentle, yet firm, passionate, and it was making Videl feel things she had no idea one could feel. It was a simple kiss, but this one touch gave her such intense sensations – it wasn't making sense. How could it feel so… so…?

Ugh, it just felt so damn _good_. _How_ could he make her feel like that? _Why_ couldn't she push him back?

His lips started moving against hers, and before her brain could protest she mimicked his action. Her grip on the shelf behind her loosened as he cupped her face with both hands. A soft moan escaped her lips, and without her consent her arms moved up to grip his collar, pulling him closer. She didn't even realize when she'd granted his tongue access into her mouth, or when his right hand moved to her arched back, pressing her body all against his.

But, _goodness,_ it felt just… _heavenly_. Oh, why must this be so deliciously addicting? How was she supposed to push Gohan away when he was making her feel this way? It was like she was floating in a cloud of the most delicious sensations.

When did her hands grab his face? When did her left leg wrap itself around his midsection? Or was it his right hand that took hold of her thigh first and moved it there? How did it happen?

When did she stop struggling? Or did she even try? It was all such a blur – nothing was making sense.

Except for the pleasure. It was the only thing she was currently capable of registering, how good kissing Gohan felt. Just how amazing his lips tasted, and how his hard, muscular body was pressed against her in such a perfect fit. How every single touch on her skin felt like fire against his fingertips. How she just couldn't get enough of these kisses, which, instead of satisfying her thirst, were only making her want more and more.

Dammit, dammit, dammit. What the hell was she _doing_?

But the protest of her mind was but a whisper that her desperate need of Gohan all but swatted away. She wanted more of him, she needed more of him; of his kisses, of his touch, of the feel of him. She wanted _him_ , god she wanted him so badly. Her thirst for him just couldn't be quenched, no matter how many kisses they'd had. Every time they pulled back slightly to catch a breath, not a moment later their lips and tongues clashed with each other in a firework of the most pleasurable sensations.

"Videl…"

His hoarse whisper caused a shiver to run down her spine, while his half-lidded, pitch black eyes stared into hers with such intensity it was making her knees go weak. His left hand was on her neck, his thumb stroking her cheek lovingly as his heavy breath mixed with her own. His other hand easily hoisted her up against the bookcase, and instinctively her legs wrapped around his waist while he moved his hand to the small of her back.

His lips captured hers once again, but still it wasn't enough. Even while feeling him so close against her, even with his hands on her and his very obvious hard-on pressing against the inside of her thighs, she still needed more. What was happening to her? Why couldn't she control her needs? Why wasn't her body obeying her? _Why_ _was she still kissing Gohan?_

His mouth left hers and she gasped for air, and then she bit down a moan as Gohan's lips trailed burning kisses down her jaw and along her throat. He moved to the crook of her neck, feasting on her skin while Videl tried as she might to control her voice.

This was bad. He was becoming bolder, took more initiatives, and she was _loving_ it. While his lips were still busy on her neck, his hands slowly slid down her back and cupped her butt and – oh god, were they… _grinding_?

Where did her self-control go? Where was her _pride_ , goddammit! She was actually grinding against him like some… some…

Ah, the hell with it. It just felt too good – she didn't have the strength to think or make sense of anything.

"Gohan…" she breathed out, panting as her arms encircled his large back and held him closer. His lips were back on hers in a heartbeat, kissing her avidly, hungrily, fervently, tasting her like she was the most delicious meal.

Gah… He was driving her _insane_.

Her mind had long given up protesting, her needs taking full control of her actions. She couldn't stop even if she wanted to – and right now, it was the last thing she wanted. She wished for this feeling to never stop.

x

He didn't know how things could've gotten this far – but frankly, Gohan couldn't care less at that moment. Finally, _finally_ Videl was giving in to him, and he wasn't going to give up on all these indescribable, oh so wonderful sensations by starting to _think_. No, he couldn't stop now – _wouldn't_ stop. Kissing Videl, feeling her soft body against him – grinding his arousal against her crotch. Why did it matter if they might be going too far? Who cared? It was the most incredible feeling he'd ever had – and he'd saved the world.

There were so many things he wanted to say to her. How much he loved her, how beautiful, wonderful she was, and how happy – no, _ecstatic_ he was feeling right now. How delicious her lips were. His were kind of busy at the moment though, and Gohan didn't feel like stopping now. He'd just have to wait a little bit to tell her all of this and more.

Her hands somehow ended up under his shirt, having apparently untucked it out of his pants, running her fingers along his back. He shivered in delight, his breathing quickening, and kissed her deeper while grinding his hips harder against hers. His mind was too clouded to wonder if it was a good idea to mimic her and go under her tank top – he simply did it, craving to feel her skin. It was so soft, felt so hot. He was burning. Her waist was slim, her stomach flat and toned. She was so perfect. His hand inched higher, itching to explore more of her. He let go of her lips then and dipped down again, ravishing her neck, moving along to her shoulder, the strap of her tank top sliding off slightly.

"Gohan?" called an elderly voice. "Gohan, can you come here for a moment?"

Mrs. Huston's call for his assistance didn't make him pause, however. He lifted his head and kissed Videl again, the hand under her garment daringly cupping her right breast over her bra. Good thing he was kissing her, for she let out a light gasp which had luckily been muffled against his lips.

Oh, she was so very soft. God, how he loved touching her. He loved the feel of her, of her smooth skin, of her curves, of the heat building up between him and Videl; and most of all, Gohan loved the way she responded to his touch.

"Gohan? Where are you?"

Damn, he'd almost forgotten about the library lady. She was moving about now, looking for him. Man, he was going to have to stop kissing Videl now, wasn't he? Damn it Mrs. Huston, why now?

Videl whispered his name, attempting, albeit half-heartedly, to make him let go of her. But he just couldn't stop kissing her. It felt too good – he didn't ever want to stop kissing this girl.

x

The call from the library lady seemed to put some senses back into Videl, but try as she might, she couldn't stop responding to his kisses and burning touch, even with the risk of getting caught in such a compromising position looming over them.

Mrs. Huston was getting closer to them, however, and eventually they had to give up the fight and finally broke apart.

As she touched down again, Gohan hovered over her and stared intensely into her eyes, his heavy pants mingling with hers. He cupped the side of her face, his large, warm hand on her cheek, and gave her one last kiss, lingering as much as he could while the aging lady's steps were coming dangerously close.

 _One Last Kiss Before the Next_ _(2014)_

"Wait here, okay?" he murmured, his lips brushing her neck. "I'll be right back."

When he left, her knees gave out and she dropped to the floor on her butt, completely breathless. Her buzzing mind tried to make sense of what just happened, but she was too dizzy to comprehend anything. She noticed how her heart was pounding against her ribcage, and how hot her body was, not to mention… between her legs. _My god…_ she thought, her face feeling like fire. So this was how it felt to be turned on.

And then the guilt almost crushed her with its weight. What had she done? How could she do this to her best friend? She wasn't supposed to let Gohan kiss her, let alone let him… Videl swallowed hard, remembering despite herself how good it'd felt to have his hands on her skin, groping her curves, and how she'd craved for more no matter how far they would go.

Wait here, he'd said. That he would be right back. And then what? Continue where they left off? As much as her craving for Gohan protested, Videl couldn't allow herself to give in to him again, or ever, for that matter. She forced her legs to hoist her up and, albeit a little shakily, went for the exit.

Videl almost glanced at him as she left in a hurry – but, no, she mustn't. Lest his enchanting onyx eyes draw her in again and make her have second thoughts about her decision. She couldn't risk it, couldn't allow it. She had to get away from Gohan, and fast.

x

"This one?" asked Gohan, reaching for a book on the highest shelf. His other hand was holding another book carefully, hiding a particular part of his anatomy that still hadn't cooled down.

"No, not this one," said the small, elderly lady. "It's Sartre I asked you for, Gohan. Aren't you paying attention?"

"Sorry," he mumbled, picking up the right book this time and handing it to Mrs. Huston.

"The French version, Gohan. You know I've always preferred reading it in French," she said.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Gohan looked over the shelf for the book the library lady asked of him, and then frowned. "It's not here."

"Oh, right, it should be in the Original Version section."

She strolled to the section in question, and Gohan let out another sigh as he followed after her. Really, Mrs. Huston? Did she really need to read this particular book _now_ , of all times?

He froze as he heard rapid steps going towards the double doors, and caught sight of a fleeing Videl from the corner of his eye. His throat tightened, a lump forming in it while each of his heartbeats became painful. Why would she leave like that? Why was she in such a hurry to get away from him? Damn it. Damn it all. And here he'd thought… he'd thought he could finally be with her. That she was finally _his_.

"Ah, yes, this is the one," said Mrs. Huston, holding the leather-bound book with great care. "Thank you, Gohan, you're always a great help."

"Um, can I leave for the day?" he asked, trying not to sound too impatient. He was _this_ close to just run after Videl without a look back.

"Oh, yes, look at the time," she said, arranging her thick, old-fashioned frames on her nose as she checked the hour on her wristwatch. "Have a safe trip home, Gohan."

"Yes, thanks," he said. "Bye, Mrs. Huston."

Trying not to show his haste, he picked up his satchel and went out the double doors – and then he started to run, really run, hoping Videl wasn't already on her way home.

ooOoo

Well, Reece's request came at quite a convenient time, to say the least. Sure, Erasa wouldn't have minded if he had been interested in her instead, but he was actually a pretty good match for Videl.

Reece had asked for her help to get Videl to go out with him, and the guy seemed to genuinely like her friend. And he actually had a chance with Videl, too, or at least she was pretty sure he did. He was nice, handsome, athletic, and really easy to like. He seemed perfect for Videl, and hopefully, he might distract her and get Gohan to give up on her. Yeah, Erasa knew it wasn't a commendable thing to do but at this point, she was getting desperate. She needed Videl away from Gohan and she needed Gohan to start noticing _her_. Damn it, she'd liked him for longer than he even knew Videl, it wasn't fair!

Calming down, the pretty blonde smiled at the current plan. Get Videl to start dating Reece, and then comfort Gohan as he mended his broken heart.

She wasn't proud of herself, not at all. But she liked Gohan too much to give up on him without a fight.


	9. I Can't Keep Doing This to You

Rhythmic, coordinated hits resounded in the empty gym. The punching bag rocked back and forth in synchronization with her powerful blows, and the chain attaching it to the ceiling rattled loudly in protest. Videl focused all of her attention on her target as she delivered impact upon impact, unconcerned about her heavy pants and aching muscles, forcing her mind not to think of anything but the sequence of her attacks.

Punch, punch, punch. Kick; knee. Kick, kick, kick, kick – and then a roundhouse kick. The punching bag, however, gave out by the force of her assaults and the sand fell out, gathering in a pile just under the dangling chain that no longer held anything but the empty carcass of torn leather.

Crouching over with her hands on her knees, Videl was breathing hard. A cough or two mixed with her sharp gasps for air, and she wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist. Straightening up somewhat and blowing out a tired sigh, she looked about the place filled with training equipment. This was her home's personal gym, which apart from her and her father, only a few, selected 'elite' students of his were allowed in. And right now, three piles of sand had replaced the punching bags she'd previously used. Well, it wasn't her fault the equipment wasn't solid enough to handle a few hits, and it wasn't like her dad couldn't afford to replace them. It wasn't like she cared, either.

She walked over to the bench where she'd left her towel and sat down, wiping the sweat on her face and neck. She felt sticky and dirty, and cringed slightly when she caught sight of her reflection in one of the many mirrors hanging on the walls. She was not a pretty sight.

Maybe if Gohan saw her like this, it would make him stop going after her.

A frustrated groan escaped her lips and she leaned back against the cool cement wall behind her, letting her tired eyes slide shut. She just couldn't stop thinking about him, could she? No matter what she did to distract her mind, no matter how hard she'd been working out, Gohan was the only thing she could think about. She was such a hopeless cause.

Looking about for the clock hanging on a tall wall, her eyebrows raised in surprise as Videl saw how late it already was. It was almost eleven o'clock in the evening, meaning she'd been at it for almost five hours. She had homework to finish for tomorrow, too. Well, she was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to get much sleep tonight anyway; might as well put her time to her unfinished school work.

First things first, however, she needed a shower.

She went back to her room and walked inside the connected bathroom, quickly discarding the sweaty training outfit and getting in the hot spray of water. Standing there, her mind went over everything that had happened to her since the festival, while forcing herself not to dwell on what happened earlier, in the corner of the library, backed up against the bookcase.

 _Okay,_ she thought, _so Gohan is Saiyaman, and his father is an alien. Which he didn't know until Gohan was four, was it?_ She let out a sigh, trying to process the strange information. _Gohan is half alien, and has the ability to somehow change his appearance. I wonder how that actually works… Is there a switch on and off or something?_

She massaged her sore neck tiredly, letting the hot water relax her worn muscles, and a soft sigh slipped out of her lips.

_So I'm in love with a guy that's not even fully human. Sweet._

She paused at that particular thought, blinking slightly as she realized that for the first time, she had actually admitted her feelings for Gohan. Well, she couldn't and wouldn't ever admit it to anyone but herself, of course, but after what happened between them earlier she really couldn't deny how she felt anymore.

She was in love with the same guy as her best friend, a guy who also happened to be a part-alien superhero. Sweet, indeed.

Her fingertips grated her skull energetically to help the running water clean the shampoo off of her hair. Her eyes tightly shut during the process, she focused her thoughts on her movements and nothing else, willing her mind not to go back to this afternoon after class. She absolutely had to distract herself from thinking about it – his kisses, his burning touch, his hot breath mingling with hers or brushing her neck.

 _NO,_ she screamed inwardly, berating herself. Her face scrunched into a painful wince as images of this particular memory crept into her head against her will. She wanted to _forget_ it ever happened, damn it! She didn't want to remember how good it felt. She wished she could just erase it all from her memory; erase all the delightful sensations he'd made her feel, erase the fireworks, erase the enchanting taste of him. The feel of him, pressed up all against her as he lifted her up and boldly groped her. His lips, his tongue, his heavy breathing…

_Stop thinking about it goddammit!_

She turned off the faucet and stepped out of the shower, heaving out a deep, dejected sigh. It was useless. She just couldn't stop thinking about Gohan. She was in too deep; there was no stopping the process. She was in love and it was making her feel like crap.

As she finished getting ready for bed, the girl began to feel the exhaustion of her long workout session. Not to mention, she'd spent more than an hour at the boxing club today after class too. Simply put, her body was completely drained. Her brain, however, just wouldn't turn off, so Videl tiredly dragged herself to bed and picked up her backpack, looking for the stuff she'd need to work with. Her cell phone, which had been forgotten inside the bag, was blinking as a sign of low battery so Videl proceeded to plug it. The screen turned on as she did, notifying her of two unread texts.

She remembered the one Gohan had sent her just as she walked inside the library, which he'd stopped her from reading. And indeed, the first unread text was from him. She noticed that the second was from Erasa.

 _Hello, Videl,_ his text read. _How are you? … Right, you're still mad at me aren't you? I'm so, so sorry, Videl. I hate myself so much for ever lying to you. I really am sorry. I want to explain everything to you, and you must have a lot of questions for me, too, right? I'll be waiting for you in the library. It's our sanctuary, right? Please come, I have to see you._

Lying on her bed, a longing smile formed on her lips as she read the text again – and again. She could almost hear his voice in her head as she read the perfectly-spelled text. It was such a rare sight, too, with how little effort teenagers put in spelling when texting these days. Seeing Gohan's text, however, Videl decided it was much nicer to read when it was well-written, so she decided to make an effort from now on when she texted.

 _I have to see you,_ he'd said. His words felt so powerful, so urging. Videl swallowed, remembering the avid way he'd kissed her. His feelings for her, such intense feelings, had shown through each kiss, each touch, each piercing stare. It was so intense, so… overwhelming. His need of her felt so – _endless_. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

But she would never betray Erasa like this.

Speaking of, Videl opened the second text she'd missed today and read.

_hey gurl! guess what? some1 askd me bout u~ tell u more 2morrow. PS: hes a gr8 guy, giv him a chance k?_

Videl was perplexed. Who could she be talking about? Well it obviously couldn't be Gohan, since Erasa wouldn't be so cheerful if she knew he liked her. In any case, she was in no mood to put up with some guy she probably didn't even know and who most likely only wanted to get to her dad through her. If he wanted to meet the "great" Mr. Satan, then sure, why not, but she didn't want to date anyone.

And then she paused, tilting her head.

Although… Maybe she should put some more thoughts into this. After all, if Gohan saw her with someone else, surely he'd give up on her, right? And besides, what better way to try and forget about a guy than getting to know another? Erasa obviously approved of this one, and Videl knew her; she wouldn't have done so if she wasn't sure the guy was worth it. Maybe… Maybe she should give him a chance, or at least, not wave him away right off the bat.

She let out a sigh and rolled on her back, resting her arm over her eyes while her other hand was still holding her cell phone. She was exhausted, and it was getting pretty late, too. Maybe she should just go to sleep and finish her homework tomorrow before leaving for school. It wasn't the best conditions to work in but it wouldn't be the first time it happened, either.

Just as she moved over and turned off her bedside lamp, her phone vibrated in her other hand. Wondering who could be texting her at such a late hour, her heart picked up when she saw the name displayed on her screen. Gohan.

Taking a shaky breath, she opened the text and read.

_I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about you, and I don't understand why you keep running away from me. I know you have feelings for me, otherwise you wouldn't have let me kiss you earlier. You would've punched me in the face instead. I want to be with you, Videl, and I'm so lost, because you keep saying you can't but you didn't push me away either. If you really don't want to be with me, then meet me at the library tomorrow morning before class, and tell me, face to face, that you don't like me and want me to give up on you. If you do, then I'll leave you alone. If you don't want me because of what I really am, I'll understand. But if you can't say it to me and reject me properly, then I won't give up on you, Videl, and I will keep trying to win you over. Because I think we could be truly happy together… and I want to make you happy._

Her heart was pounding erratically as his words resounded in her head. Her mouth was dry and Videl tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She could just see him, frustrated that he couldn't fall asleep, thinking about her… ending up sending her this text…

Should she text him back…? She wasn't sure whether she should meet up with him at the library tomorrow morning – what if he kissed her again? What if she ended up doing the opposite and instead of rejecting him, she gave in to him? How could she trust herself after her terrible lack of self-control this afternoon?

Would he kiss her again…? Videl swallowed again. Damn it, she was completely hopeless – she actually wished he would kiss her again. What a terrible friend she was.

ooOoo

In the darkness of the bedroom, Gohan stared at his phone, waiting for a reply. Out of frustration that Videl had left like that earlier and that he hadn't caught up to her in time, he'd poured his feelings into the text he just sent her. He'd been _this_ close to typing how he was so hopelessly in love with her, but had decided against it. He wanted to look at her when he told her. He wanted to see her reaction to his confession, and he wanted to kiss her right after the words came out, no matter what her answer may be.

Minutes ticked by, and still no reply. Maybe she was already sleeping. Maybe she was still trying to figure out what to text him back. Maybe she didn't want to reply.

Well, nonetheless, tomorrow morning he would wait for her at the library until class started. And if she wasn't going to come, then he'd go look for her in her classroom if need be. He'd said it and he'd meant it – he wasn't going to give up on Videl, and unless she told him she didn't want him to, he would keep trying to be with her as much as he must until she gave in, or at least until she told him why she kept rejecting him.

Placing his phone next to his pillow, Gohan closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. His throat tightened as, instead of finding sleep, the young man found himself thinking back of this afternoon at the library. He distractedly licked his lips as he remembered how hers tasted; how it felt to touch her and have her soft body pressed up all against his. How she'd moaned his name breathlessly, driving him insane with lust and need. How her eyes, her gorgeous blue eyes, glazed over as she stared at him intently, whenever they paused to catch their breath. How her skin felt against his fingers, tasted against his mouth… How he wished he never had to stop kissing her, touching her, grinding against her.

Well, this was not helping him sleep at all.

ooOoo

"Dammit, dammit. Fuck."

He wasn't one to cuss easily, but _geez_. Every damn morning – what the hell was wrong with this city? How could there be a crime occurring _at least_ once a day, starting from early morning until late at night sometimes? Why _now_ , of all times? Why couldn't it be peaceful for once, why couldn't he get to school without having to stop on the way because of some goddamn random crime happening in the city? For god's sake – why _now_? He was supposed to get to school early today and wait for Videl in the library, but how was he supposed to when the fucking bank was getting robbed every five minutes?

Cursing under his breath repeatedly, Gohan found a secluded spot by the bank to turn Super Saiyan and then rushed inside to take care of the robbery. He must have set a new record, really, as not a moment later he was already out and high up in the sky, racing to get to school.

His stop at the bank still cost him some precious minutes. Gohan landed on the rooftop, turned out of the Super Saiyan transformation and didn't pause before getting inside the staircase. He glanced at his watch and saw that he had less than ten minutes before the bell rang, and cursed under his breath again, quickly going to the library. Hopefully, Videl was already there and waiting for him.

What if she didn't come at all?

Shaking the gloomy thought out of his head, the tall boy stopped in his tracks in front of the familiar double doors and took a deep breath. He pushed the wooden doors open, his eyes quickly scanning the library for a head of shiny, raven hair.

His heart sank – she didn't come.

He collapsed on a chair and crossed his arms on top of the desk, burying his head into them. She didn't even come. Was it all over, then? Was she going to keep avoiding him? Was it really not meant to be? To think he'd finally kissed her, finally tasted what it was like to feel her against him, to touch her, to breathe her in… To think he'd been so happy – ecstatic – when she finally, finally dropped her defenses and let him in. She'd kissed him back, and more than that – she didn't even try to resist; she wholeheartedly leaned into him, responded to any of his kisses, any touch, any look. For the first time, she had belonged to him as much as he had belonged to her, and it had been the most amazing experience Gohan ever had.

But then she just left, and in a hurry on top of that, like she couldn't get away from him fast enough. She was still resisting, running away from him. Didn't she realize how much she was hurting him every time she rejected him? Couldn't she see how desperately in love he was? Why couldn't she fully give in, why was she still fleeing from his grasp, each and every time he managed to get the slightest bit closer to her?

 _Why_ couldn't she be with him? Goddammit, he couldn't stand it anymore. He loved her, he was utterly, madly in love with her – why couldn't they be together? He _knew_ she at least liked him; he'd seen it in her lingering gaze and he'd felt it when they kissed. He just knew it. Yet for some incomprehensible reason, she wouldn't be with him.

Was his heart ever going to mend? With the way it was currently shattered into pieces, it didn't look at all possible. He was hurting so much… Gohan felt like it was the end of the world – and he certainly knew how that felt.

x

Sometimes, Videl wondered why the police bothered to call her at all – everything was, yet again, already taken care of when she got to the bank. She knew it was Gohan who stopped the robbery. The detour she had to do because of the police call had been a real waste of time, and because of it all, she might not be able to meet up with Gohan at the library before class.

Cursing under her breath, she rushed to get to school and then ran up the stairs towards the library. Glancing at her watch, Videl saw she still had a few minutes left before the first bell, so she sprinted as fast as she could until she reached the wooden double doors.

She paused, short of breath, in front of the doors. She hesitated, still unsure whether it was a good idea to meet up with Gohan, fearing that she might let him kiss her again when she'd already made up her mind not to let him get to her ever again.

She looked at her watch again. Barely over two minutes were left. Videl chewed on her lower lip as the seconds ticked by. In the end, she held one door slightly open, and peered discreetly inside.

The sight that met her eyes felt like a stab in her heart. Gohan was there, sitting at the desk, his head deeply buried into his crossed arms. He looked so… miserable. Completely hopeless. Guilt churned her insides, and Videl swallowed, before cautiously stepping inside the library.

She touched his shoulder gently and Gohan's head shot up at once. His pitch black eyes stared at her with a kind of desperate relief – and next thing she knew she was completely enveloped in his strong arms as Gohan held her tightly against him.

"I thought… I didn't think you…"

His raspy, helpless voice was heart-wrenching. "I'm sorry, the police called me but you already took care of everything."

He pulled back slightly, cupping her cheek as he gazed down at her with shiny, relieved eyes. "I'm so glad you came. I was losing all hope."

Videl gulped, knowing what was on his mind. She didn't come here to let him kiss her again, let alone out in the open like this. She'd actually decided to tell him to give up on her and forget about her – even though she was well aware that she, herself, would never be able to really get over Gohan.

One never forgot their first love.

His face was inching closer and Videl's heart picked up in anticipation in spite of her earlier decision. She was such a hopeless cause… But how was she supposed to resist when she was craving for him so much, when she was absolutely dying for his kisses and touch; when it was killing her inside that she couldn't be with him?

His lips had only brushed hers when the bell rang. Yet, instead of pulling back and heading for class, Gohan only pressed his lips deeper, his tongue easily getting access into her mouth.

And it was an explosion of fireworks all over again.

But – no. She couldn't let him again. No matter how… how breathtaking it felt when Gohan kissed her, no matter how badly she wanted him. She couldn't let him. She had to stop him. She had to push him away and tell him, once and for all, that they couldn't be together; that they never would be.

His large hand moved to the small of her back, pressing her closer against his rock-hard torso. He kissed her hard; he kissed her avidly, fervently. His passion and love were all but transparent as their breaths mingled, and try as she might, Videl was just unable to fight it. She couldn't deny it anymore: she loved Gohan, and as much as she wanted to be loyal to Erasa, she couldn't fight her own feelings when he was making her feel like this.

The second bell sounded off, and Videl focused on the shrill ringing to bring herself out of this oh so wonderful daze. She forced her hands onto his chest, and pushed as hard as she could.

Surprisingly enough, he didn't even budge, but the message she sent was clear. Gohan pulled back, and stared down at her with worried, dreadful eyes.

She immediately averted her gaze, looking down at her boots intently. "We should get to class," she whispered, turning away to start towards the exit.

"Wait," he said, grabbing her wrist. She still wouldn't look at him, though.

"We're already late, Gohan. Let's go."

"I don't care. I'm always late anyway."

She bit down on her lip, nervously shooting a glance around them while carefully avoiding him.

"Look at me," he said, his tone despairing, yet commanding.

She shook her head, shutting her eyes. "Let's just go, Gohan. We'll talk another time."

"Look at me when you're talking to me, Videl. _Look at me_ ," he demanded hoarsely, pulling on her wrist until she faced him.

But Videl was stubbornly keeping her eyes tightly shut. "I can't. You're going to draw me in again, and I just can't allow it, Gohan. I can't."

"But why?"

His voice had gotten softer, with an edge of dejection. Videl didn't open her eyes, and her breath hitched when she felt Gohan's hand on her cheek, stroking it with such gentleness it was melting and breaking her heart all at the same time. She could feel her eyes watering under her lids; hot, burning tears threatened to spill out any second.

This situation was impossible. They had mutual feelings for one another. They loved each other. Why couldn't it be easy? Why couldn't they be together?

"Because if I accepted your feelings, I would be betraying my best friend."

x

Her words only got him more confused. What did she mean by that? Her best friend…? Did she mean –

"Erasa?" he whispered, completely lost as to how the bubbly blonde had anything to do with them. "What do you mean?"

Videl shook her head and pulled away from him, and Gohan felt his throat tighten painfully as a tear slid down her cheek. She quickly turned away from him and brushed it away, but it was too late. He felt sick in the stomach. Gohan felt unbelievably selfish and self-centered, at that moment. Yes, so he was crazy in love with Videl, but he knew something was going on, that something was stopping her from accepting his feelings, most likely despite herself, yet he kept pushing and pushing, unconcerned by the inner turmoil Videl was obviously going through. To think, he went so far as to make her cry again… when he'd sworn to himself that such a thing would never happen again, not after what happened at the Victory Festival.

"I already said too much," she replied, her voice shaky. "I just… I can't betray her like that…"

"I'm sorry," he breathed out, his chest tight and heavy as the girl he loved refused to meet his eye. "I'm sorry, Videl. I don't know what's wrong with me." He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "You said you couldn't be with me, and I just…" His breath hitched. "My feelings for you are so strong, and I just…" He swallowed. He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to tell her how deep his love for her ran. He wanted to tell her everything.

He wanted to hold her in his arms and never let go.

"No, I get it…" she whispered. At last, she met his gaze, and a sad, wistful smile formed on her beautiful lips. "I get it."

 _You really do, don't you?_ He wanted to say, but Gohan didn't want to make things harder for Videl. He decided to stop being selfish and respect Videl's wishes. He couldn't keep pushing like that when she was visibly struggling with something.

Something that apparently had to do with Erasa, somehow… But he'd be damned if he knew how. Knowing how much Videl cared about her best friend, however, Gohan knew he had to back down.

He felt so lost and hurt. His heart ached at the thought of giving up, but Gohan knew it was the right thing to do. He couldn't keep making Videl cry. All he ever wanted was to make her happy, and he knew, deep down, that if she would just let him, they would've been blissfully happy together.

But there was no use in wondering of what could have been now…

There was no use in anything.

There was just no use.

"Can I get… a kiss goodbye?" he asked, unable to refuse his heart this one wish.

Her breath hitched. She looked at the double doors and bit her lip, maybe wondering when Mrs. Hutson would be coming in today.

"I… I don't think…" she started to say, but then she turned to him and their eyes locked; her voice was caught in her throat, making her unable to finish her sentence.

Feeling his heart race a marathon in his chest, Gohan grabbed her hand and pulled her away from plain view, bringing her between the many rows of bookcases, away from prying eyes.

"Here is better, right?" he murmured, leaning closer to her. He cupped her cheek. "Can I kiss you… for the last time?"

Her lips trembled, her eyes welled up, and a few tears rolled down her cheeks. With a lump in his chest, Gohan brushed them away with a light touch of his fingers.

"I'm sorry, I made you cry again…"

She shook her head, her eyes tightly shut, and the next moment her arms were around his neck and she was hugging him tightly. It took him a second to gather his bearings from her unexpected embrace, but Gohan quickly got it together and wrapped his arms around Videl, burying his nose in the crook of her neck and breathing her in deeply.

Gosh, this was so hard.

He felt his eyes water and couldn't fight the tears coming in. _I'll always love you,_ he thought with all of his might, wishing he could tell her.

But that would be selfish, and Gohan refused to be like that anymore.

Videl started to pull away, and the enamored boy felt a painful pang in his chest as he abided and let go of her. Their eyes met, both pairs filled with tears, and they shared wistful smiles.

She put her hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing away a stray tear. "I'm sorry, Gohan," she said softly, her whisper heavy with untold feelings. "I truly am… I really wish… things could be different."

"Yeah…" he agreed, letting his forehead rest onto hers, his eyes falling shut.

Her hand was still stroking his cheek. Gohan wrapped his arms around her again, figuring he might as well make the most of this moment. Ah, this felt so nice… Why, oh why did it have to be the last time?

And then her lips were on his, and Gohan decided to forget that this would be for the last time. He kissed her back desperately, passionately, pulling her closer against him, holding her tightly in his arms. She had both hands on either side of his face now, as though to keep his head there, to prevent him from moving.

As if he would want to be anywhere else but here, kissing her, holding her…

She loved him. He felt it. He knew it. She was as hopelessly in love with him as he was with her. Her love was so strong, so intense, so overwhelming, that Gohan felt a few more tears escape from his closed lids from the emotion.

She loved him. Damn it. Damn it. _She actually loved him_. God friggin' damn it. _Why_ couldn't they be together? What was stopping her? Why couldn't she tell him?

 _No,_ he reminded himself as he deepened the kiss. He held her tighter and let all these unpleasant thoughts slip away from his mind, focusing on all the unbelievably blissful sensations Videl was making him feel.

And so they kissed, and kept kissing, savoring every second of their very last kiss, letting it bathe them in the most delightful glow.

After what felt like an eternity yet the blink of an eye at the same time, Gohan and Videl finally broke the kiss. Unwilling to pull away, Gohan tightened his arms around her as their short breaths mingled.

"I'll never forget you," he whispered breathlessly, feeling the urge to voice at least some of his feelings.

"I'll never forget you either," she murmured back, her voice cracking. "Never…"

He felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips and couldn't help the thought, _I love you too_.

"I'm sorry I hurt you so much," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his back. "You don't deserve what I put you through."

He swallowed. Ah… Didn't she realize that she was just making things that much harder for them by saying that, by holding him like that…? Damn it, he felt like crying again…

"I just…" His breath hitched and Gohan started again. "I wish you'd just tell me why…"

"I can't. I'm sorry…"

He sighed softly. Ah, well. Gohan contented himself with holding her in his arms and buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her hair. Ah, her scent was so beautiful…

"Okay…"

For the time being, this last embrace with the girl he loved was all that mattered. He didn't want to think of anything else. He didn't want to acknowledge that anything outside of their little bubble existed.

He wished he never had to let go.

"Thank you… for indulging me."

He heard her swallow loudly. Her hands trembled against his chest. "I'm so sorry, Gohan…" She closed them into fists.

Videl pulled back slightly and looked up at him. He cupped her cheek and smiled at her. "Yeah, I'm sorry too."

Her lips trembled, her eyes welled up again… and then she reached up and kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Well, apparently, Videl wasn't done saying goodbye to him… Which suited him just fine. He wasn't ready to let go just yet, either.

ooOoo

"Where have you been? You missed first period," whispered Erasa, as Videl sat down next to her in class. Luckily, being who she was and given her extra-curricular activities, Videl never got scolded for being late or missing class. "Did you get held up by the police after another robbery or something?"

"Yeah… Something like that," Videl whispered back vaguely, getting her stuff out of her backpack.

The discussion seemed over. But then, after a few minutes, Erasa looked like she was about to burst for some reason, and Videl looked at her skeptically.

"Well, aren't you going to ask me who it is?"

It took Videl a moment to understand what her friend was referring to. Her head was still with Gohan, in that corner of the library, sharing the most amazing yet heartbreaking moments with him…

"Oh, right. So, uh, a guy likes me, right?" she asked, remembering Erasa's text from last night.

"I really think you should give him a chance," Erasa whispered excitedly. "Heck, if he'd been interested in _me_ , I would've been more than willing."

This took her off guard. "What about Gohan?"

A frown etched across Erasa's usually cheerful features, but she quickly discarded whatever she'd been thinking about. "Anyways, it's Reece Blann from the basketball team."

"Oh… him."

Videl did know who Reece Blann was. She wasn't in any designed club, _per se_ , seeing as she was busy with crime fighting, but since joining a club was mandatory, the teachers had come up with a compromise. Therefore, instead of joining a club like everybody else, Videl acted as a substitute whenever a club was short of members, though usually, she stuck with the sport activities. She took part in the basketball club quite a few times and since it was a sport she very much enjoyed, sometimes she went there even when she wasn't particularly needed. But considering she was quite good, not to mention she was Videl Satan, the members were pretty pleased whenever she showed up.

Reece was a nice guy, and a really talented basketball player, too. He was tall, and she guessed he was good-looking. He was pretty easy to get along with.

Videl felt a painful pang in her chest. She didn't want this guy. Damn it, she wanted Gohan. Maybe, if she just told Erasa… Surely her best friend wouldn't want her to be miserable for her own sake, right?

But… Looking at Erasa's hopeful eyes right now, Videl couldn't bring herself to utter a word about how she actually felt.

She heaved out a sigh.

So Reece Blann was interested in her, huh? Well, at the very least, Videl supposed she ought to give him a chance.

And maybe, just maybe, Reece might be able to help her move on and get over her feelings for Gohan.

Yeah, right…


	10. I Guess You’re Trying to Move on

He hadn't meant to skip school. After he and Videl finally broke apart, Gohan had started going back to class. Yet, somehow, he'd ended up on the school roof. And then, oddly enough, he was soaring through the sky.

He'd been flying aimlessly for some time now, the blurry lands passing below him, changing again and again.

It was over.

It didn't even get to start properly, and it was over.

His heart felt dead. Or maybe he wished it were, if only that meant it wouldn't hurt so much.

And so his first love story ended. Nothing was ever going to happen between him and Videl. They weren't going to run off to the sunset together. They weren't going to do anything together anymore, ever.

It was all over.

He felt like crying. Gohan stopped in his tracks, hovering in the sky above the endless ocean. His hands moved to cover his face, his shoulders started shaking; the boy let his tears flow freely, hoping, praying it could relieve some of the wrenching pain in his chest.

"…Kid?"

Gohan swallowed, his hands trembling as he wiped his face. While he appreciated the sentiment, he wished Piccolo hadn't come to check up on him. Piccolo must have sensed something was wrong through his _ki_ and got concerned, and Gohan knew he should feel lucky that he had such a devoted friend who would cross continents just to make sure he was okay, but, right now, the last thing he wanted was for Piccolo to see him in such a pitiful state.

"Can you go away please, Piccolo? I really don't want you to see me like this…" He hated that he couldn't control the quiver in his voice.

Piccolo scoffed in response, and from the shift in the air, Gohan sensed that the Namekian behind him crossed his arms.

"What, you mean, seeing you crying? Like that's anything new for me, or did you forget the year I trained you in the wilderness?"

The recollection made a tiny little smile tug on his lips. Gohan blew out a long breath. "But I was a child back then," he countered, wiping his face again as he turned around to face his friend. He hoped he didn't look too horrible.

"You still are," Piccolo smirked, staring down at him.

Gohan pouted slightly. "I'm seventeen now," he muttered. "Eighteen, actually, if you count the year I spent with Dad in the Room of Spirit and Time."

A big, green, four-fingered hand patted his head. "You could be seventy, I'll always see the sniveling little crybaby I was forced to train when I look at you."

"I was four years old, of course I would be a crybaby over being left alone in the wilderness to fend for myself," Gohan retorted, narrowing his eyes playfully at the taller man. "And aren't you pretty young yourself? Weren't you born right after Dad defeated the Demon King Piccolo or something like that? Didn't you grow up freakishly fast in like three years, making you only like, four years older than me?"

Piccolo's eye twitched. "I reunited with Kami, that makes me hundreds of years old."

"And not a wrinkle to show for it," Gohan joked, his smile widening. "Impressive."

Piccolo crossed his arms again, scowling at the insolent boy. "Well, since we're here already, how about a little sparring session? You've gotten so rusty from all these years of peace, I'm pretty sure I could take you now."

"Is that so?" Gohan raised an eyebrow at his challenger.

"Hell, I bet even Yamcha could probably give you a run for your money at this point."

"Ouch," Gohan chuckled at the jibe. A little spar sounded pretty good right now, actually.

ooOoo

"Are you sure? He couldn't have ditched school like that, not Gohan…"

Videl tried to tune out the conversation Erasa was having with one of her friends from class A, who had joined them under their usual tree for lunch. The girl wouldn't have had minded so much if it weren't for their topic of conversation. Did they have to be talking about Gohan, of all things?

"Maybe he's sick?" wondered Kit, a hint of worry in her voice. "I hope he's all right. He seemed a bit down lately, you know?"

"Yeah," agreed Erasa, nodding her head thoughtfully. "I wonder what happened… Do you know anything, Videl?"

The girl in question froze, not expecting to be questioned about the topic. Her brain worked fast, trying to find something plausible to say. Anything that would get her out of this tricky question.

To think she had to resort to the one thing she despised most. She couldn't do otherwise, though. How could she tell them the truth? How could she say that Gohan most likely ditched school because she broke his heart? That he'd been down lately because she had rejected him on his birthday? How could she possibly say any of this to anyone, and especially Erasa, knowing that the only thing she would achieve in doing so would be to hurt her best friend?

"Not really…" she ended up saying in reply, unable to come up with anything clever. It seemed to suffice, however.

"Man… I hope he's all right," said Kit again, heaving out a sigh. "He's such a sweet guy."

"Tell me about it," replied Erasa, sighing dreamily. "He's so… pure, you know?"

"Exactly!"

Videl averted her gaze to hide her blush, her thoughts going back to yesterday afternoon, after class, when Gohan had backed her up against the bookcase and kissed her avidly, boldly groping her. Yes, she did understand what Erasa and Kit meant by saying that Gohan was "pure", but at the time, when his lips and hands had been all over her, when his hard arousal had ground against her crotch in such need, and the lust in his eyes seemed to devour her hungrily… he definitely hadn't been _innocent_.

From then on, Erasa and Kit kept listing off all of Gohan's qualities, while Videl lay down on the grass and closed her eyes, her head comfortably nested on her joined hands. She listened to them go on about him, a thin smile on her lips. It didn't bother her at all now, because she knew how it was all true, that Gohan really was that amazing.

Her heart gave a pang. To think she'd had to give up on such a great guy… Her mind drifted back to this morning, to their goodbyes… God, how she wished she never had to stop kissing him. How she wished he never let her go…

"Oh my god! Is that… Reece Blann?" whispered Kit excitedly.

Videl's eyes shot open. She sat up and anxiously looked around, figuring that Reece had come for her. Erasa told her that he seemed to genuinely like her, and she did plan to give him a chance. After all, it couldn't have been better timing, seeing as Videl desperately needed to get over Gohan, the sooner the better.

He flashed her a charming smile as their eyes locked, and then walked towards them. "May I sit down?" he asked respectfully, not tearing his gaze from her for even a moment.

"Sure," she said casually.

He sat down across from her, still staring at her with a smile. Well, Videl had to admit, Reece was pretty cute. And she did like how his eyes twinkled when he looked at her. Oddly enough it felt somewhat familiar…

She lowered her head, suddenly remembering why. Gohan would always look at her with a similar expression, although his eyes were much gentler yet expressed so much more. Damn it, why was she still thinking of Gohan? There was a perfectly decent, normal guy right in front of her, one that her best friend wasn't already crazy about. Wasn't it what she'd wanted? A more normal life, with possibly a normal boyfriend? This was her chance; she couldn't brush it off. She had to take it. She had to least give Reece a chance. She had to stop thinking about Gohan. She couldn't keep this up – somehow, it had to stop.

She had to stop loving Gohan. Somehow.

ooOoo

Piccolo eyed the kid from the corner of his eye, massaging his sore shoulder. They were sitting on a cliff in a small, deserted island, sometime after their fight.

Gohan had been surprisingly aggressive. It happened in a blink, as though something suddenly _clicked_ inside of him, and Piccolo figured it had something to do with the way he'd found him earlier. The kid clearly had something to vent about.

Well, today wouldn't be the day he beat his former pupil. He should've known he would get his ass handed to him anyway, even when Gohan wasn't even transformed. After all, no sane person would knowingly cross the kid's path when he was obviously upset.

It wasn't too bad, though. Yeah, he was sore all over and was pretty sure he had a few broken ribs, among other parts of him, but at least now Gohan seemed to have relaxed somewhat. At least he didn't get beaten up for nothing.

"I'm sorry, Piccolo," sighed Gohan, looking very sorry indeed. "I shouldn't have lost it like that… You had nothing to do with it."

"Please," said Piccolo, waving him off. "This is nothing. Sorry to say kid, but you've got a long way before you can compare with Freeza, or even Nappa. At least, at the time."

"That's because I stopped before you lost consciousness," he said, frowning deeply in concern. The kid didn't have many injuries, himself. A few scratches, some torn parts on his clothes, a bruise here and there.

Obviously. It was a miracle he'd been able to keep up with Gohan at all, let alone hurt him. It didn't sit well with his ego.

"I'm really sorry," Gohan said again, letting out a sigh.

"Meh, I'm fine," said Piccolo. "A good workout. Just what I needed."

The boy smiled slightly and Piccolo patted his head in a rare show of affection. But really, he'd have to be heartless not to be affected by Gohan's sad eyes. He used to think he had no heart, but ever since Gohan entered his life, the sniveling little boy had taught him that he could, in fact, grow attached to someone.

"So what is it? What's got you so upset?"

Gohan sighed, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his chin onto his knees. "I don't really want to talk about it… But I guess I owe you after you took the beating I just gave you…"

Piccolo waited as the boy took the time to collect his thoughts. A painful wince then crossed his youthful features, and a frown of concern overtook his own.

"You're going to think this is stupid… And you can't really understand anyway."

"There's no harm in telling me, though, is there?"

"I guess not," Gohan breathed out. "Okay… It's about a girl. I fell in love with a girl, but we can't be together."

Okay, so the kid was absolutely right. Piccolo had not the slightest clue as to what he was going through. The only kind of love he knew was the fatherly affection he had for Gohan. Namekians weren't exactly fit for romance, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a good listener, or at least try to be.

The things he did for the boy…

"Go on."

"I don't really know why, either. She said it's because if she accepted my feelings, she would be betraying her best friend, but I have no idea what she meant…" Gohan sighed again.

"Is there anything you can do?"

The boy shook his head. "No. I tried to win her over, but I realized I was being selfish. I made her cry, because she was struggling with something and I was making things worse for her… So I decided to give up on her. There's nothing left to do. We've said our goodbyes already. It's over… Undeniably over."

"Ah."

Really, what else could he respond to this? Piccolo wished he had the means to find the right words for Gohan, that he knew what to say to make him feel better.

He gave it a go nonetheless.

"I'm no expert, but I believe humans can fall in love more than once in their lifetime," he started after a few moments of silence, hoping he wasn't going to screw this up. "I'm sure you don't think it's possible right now, but you'll probably fall in love again with someone else in the future, and maybe that next person will be the right one for you."

Gohan didn't say anything in response, but he moved to sit cross-legged and was staring ahead with a dubious frown furrowing his brow, folding his arms over his chest. Probably not the best thing he could've said, but it was really all he could muster, given his biology.

"If you say so," Gohan muttered. Piccolo pursed his lips, knowing that what he said hadn't helped at all.

"Who is she? The girl that broke your heart." Or whatever that meant.

"Her name's Videl. She's actually…" Gohan seemed to hesitate, scratching the back of his head in that annoying habit he took after his father. "She's Mr. Satan's daughter."

Piccolo scoffed, struggling to hold in a fit of laughter. "That fool's daughter? I hope she doesn't look like him."

"She doesn't!" Gohan defended fervently. "She's nothing like him! She's beautiful and unbelievably honest, and she even fights crime in Satan City. And she's stronger than him!"

In any case, Gohan sure was taken with that girl. The irony was positively hilarious.

"Well, anyway," said Piccolo, deciding to change the topic. "You may be stronger than me, but your fighting is pretty sloppy. You've slacked off."

Gohan smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'm aware of that. I could feel I wasn't as good as I was seven years ago."

"So train more often. Better yet: come find me so that we can spar. Dende knows I need a good sparring partner."

"Sure," replied the boy, a genuine smile curling his lips. Piccolo smiled back at him, a rare sight indeed. But he only reserved those for Gohan, who was really the only one who could melt his not-so-hardened heart.

ooOoo

The next day, Gohan felt somewhat better when he got to school. Talking with Piccolo had helped take his mind off his situation for a bit, and fighting the Namek had allowed him to vent his frustration and suffering. Sure, he was still hurting, but at least he felt a little more at peace.

After class, like usual, he went to the library as his after school activity. He wasn't surprised that Videl wasn't showing up, and he felt a pang in his heart thinking that she might never hang out with him in the library again. Their sanctuary was no more.

Erasa came, though, and Gohan observed her carefully, wondering what on earth Videl meant, and how Erasa had anything to do with the two of them.

She really was a nice girl. She was lively and helpful; she didn't just stand by and watch him work about, she actually gave him a hand whenever she hung out with him in the library. She was a great friend, and Gohan could see why she meant so much to Videl.

She seemed especially bubbly and excited today, and soon enough he learned why.

"Videl's got a date! I, like, can't believe it myself! My little tomboy got herself a date, I'm so proud!"

His world shattered in an instant. He was in a tornado, a blizzard, a tsunami of unbearable pain, and he could not hear a thing that Erasa said after that. He felt like dying. He felt miserable and empty. He could barely keep standing and had to grab onto the shelf of a bookcase so he didn't give out and fall to the floor.

"Gohan, are you all right?" asked Erasa, concern filling her eyes. They were blue, he noticed for the first time, but a different shade than Videl's.

"I…" He swallowed. His shoulders slumped. "So Videl's trying to move on, huh…"

Erasa gave him a confused look, tilting her head to the side. "Move on… what do you mean? Move on from what?"

Gohan stood straighter and ran a trembling hand through his hair, a sad, defeated smile on his lips. "I guess she hasn't told you about what happened… That's surprising. You two are so close, I was sure she told you everything."

Something he didn't understand flashed across Erasa's eyes. Something that looked like… alarm.

Huh. How odd.

"What… do you mean? Wha… What happened?"

Her voice sounded distressed too. What was going on…?

"Well…" he went on nonetheless, but then a blush formed on his cheeks at the thought of telling his friend about what happened between him and Videl. "I kinda… Well, I… fell for Videl. Like a ton of bricks. But Videl rejected me. I wish I knew why… Because I'm pretty sure she shares my feelings, but there's something holding her back."

x

Yes, indeed, something was holding Videl back. Not something, someone: Erasa herself.

"And I guess she's trying to move on with that other guy…" Gohan went on, not noticing her inner turmoil as he was staring off in the distance in thoughts. He let out a dejected sigh. "Man, this hurts like the worst punch in the gut… But I can't blame her for trying to forget about me." He swallowed and actually looked like he was close to tears. "I just… I wish I knew why she rejected me." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, his voice lowering to a barely audible whisper. "I wish I wasn't so deeply in love with her… It just hurts so much."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Gohan was even more taken with Videl than she ever would have imagined. And to think, Videl actually had to reject him even though she was so obviously crazy about him. And now she was even trying to forget about him with Reece…

All for her, her undeserving best friend.

Erasa suddenly collapsed, right there and then, onto the floor. Gohan stared at her with wide eyes.

"Erasa? Are you okay? Do you need me to take you to the nurse office?"

But she couldn't hear him. She felt crushed – crushed by her guilt. She couldn't believe how terrible she'd been to Videl, who had all but sacrificed her very first love for her sake. And to Gohan, whom she was supposed to be in love with, yet was suffering so much because of her.

"This is all my fault…"

She was the worst. And she'd actually been happy with the recent turn of events, thinking, hoping that maybe Gohan would finally look at her now that Videl was out of the picture. To think, she had all but cheerfully told the "good news" to Gohan, even though she knew that she would be hurting him deeply.

As if someone as pure and inherently good as Gohan would ever like someone as despicable as her. It was no wonder that he fell for Videl, who was righteous and honest. It was no wonder that he never developed any kind of romantic feelings for her.

She was unworthy of him. Unworthy of Videl's friendship, let alone of her loyalty.

"Your fault…? What do you mean, your fault?"

x

How could it be Erasa's fault? Yes, Videl did say that her rejecting him had something to do with her best friend, but…

Gohan was drawing a complete blank. What on earth could it all mean?

"I'm sorry, Gohan, I don't feel so good… I think I'll just go home…"

He frowned deeply as he watched the girl leave, concerned about her well-being as well as completely lost as to her involvement in his situation with Videl.

x

She really was the worst. Here was the perfect opportunity to tell Gohan everything, to admit her feelings for him, to explain to him she was the reason Videl had rejected him, to tell him that Videl most definitely felt the same way about him and that he had to go and fight for her, that he couldn't give up on her, that they were made for each other, and she was just a nuisance that was getting in their way.

And yet, she couldn't say anything. She couldn't give him the push he needed to be happy with the girl he loved.

She was the worst. She hated her mere existence on the earth. She didn't deserve anything good. She was just the worst of the worst.

Gohan and Videl would've been better off if they hadn't known her at all.

ooOoo

Friday night. Videl wasn't training at her gym like every day of the week. She was actually getting ready for her very first date with a boy.

A boy who wasn't Gohan.

Shaking her head swiftly, she let out a sigh, and looked at her reflection once more. She was wearing dark skinny jeans and a red, somewhat loose t-shirt that reached down her hips and slid off her left shoulder, showing the thick strap of a black, tight tank top underneath. Her hair was pulled down to her right side in a braid, and as a final touch to her outfit, she was wearing some jewelry: a pair of pearl earrings and a few bracelets on her wrists. She even wore a little bit of makeup, though only a bit of lip gloss and mascara, unwilling to put on herself more than necessary. All in all, she thought she looked quite nice indeed, for her date with Reece.

Videl was a little perplexed, though, that Erasa hadn't come over to help her get ready, but she figured she had done pretty well on her own and wasn't unhappy with the final results, not at all.

She quickly snatched a black purse and walked out of her room, crossing the giant house to get to the front door. Not in a mood to see her father freak out once he realized her plans for tonight, she wisely decided to wait for her date outside, passing through the gates.

She looked at her watch anxiously and refrained herself from pacing along the sidewalk; lest Reece arrived and saw what a nervous wreck she was.

In a matter of minutes, his motorbike pulled up on the driveway. He took off his helmet and ruffled his chestnut hair, flashing her a charming grin. He held out his hand to her, and Videl smiled as she took it, hoping she didn't look ridiculous. He brought her hand to him and brushed his lips on her palm. Videl forced herself not to frown.

The contact felt like… nothing. When she thought about how the simplest touch from Gohan could make electricity course through her whole being… She willed those thoughts away and forced herself to keep smiling at Reece.

She just needed to give him time. She was still not over Gohan, so it was only natural that it wasn't all explosions and fireworks with Reece already. She just needed to give them the time to bond.

She put on the spare helmet he gave her and got on the bike behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He was much thinner than Gohan, she mused, and not nearly as well-toned, either. Of course, Gohan was toned in such a perfect way, he even surpassed the Greek gods themselves – he was a category of his own, and she had yet to see a body as masculine and gorgeous as his. And she grew up in a gym full of topless fighters.

Once again willing her thoughts to stay away from Gohan, she tightened her arms around Reece as he started the engine, and they were off.

Hopefully, it was going to be a wonderful first date. One that would be able to take her mind off of Gohan, once and for all.

At least, if anything, she would get a free meal out of it.


	11. Still, I Want to Fight for You

Gohan put his pencil down and heaved a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. Videl must be on her date right now… He looked at the kitchen clock hanging on the wall, frowning as he saw the hour. It was past ten o'clock in the evening, and the boy wondered if Videl got home by now or if she was still with her date.

He crossed his arms over his open textbooks on the kitchen table and put his chin onto them, staring off in the distance.

His heart couldn't stand in place. It willed him to do something, to keep fighting, to go to her and tell her he was hopelessly in love with her and wanted to be with her and make her smile and laugh everyday for the rest of her life.

He sighed deeply, his eyes falling shut as he inwardly struggled against himself.

This was hard. Giving up on Videl… It was one of the hardest things he ever had to do. But maybe Piccolo was right. Maybe she just wasn't the one for him, and someday, he might actually fall in love with somebody else.

He buried his head into his arms and tightened them around his ears. But he didn't want anyone else. He was in love with Videl, and she was the one he wanted to be with. She was the only one for him, period. He didn't care about what may happen in the future – he loved Videl, and nobody else could replace her.

"Sweetie? Is everything all right?"

He wanted to sit up straight and tell his mother he was okay, but Gohan couldn't muster the courage to lie to her. He simply grumbled into his arms and stayed buried into the darkness they provided.

"Gohan?" A gentle hand touched his shoulder; Gohan stiffened. "Gohan, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, his voice muffled by his position.

A chair grated against the floor next to him. His mother sat down and put her hand on his knee. "Gohan, talk to me. Maybe I can help?"

He stayed silent for a while, pondering his options. Should he open up to his mom? She might be able to help. She might have some advice to offer.

But, he just… He didn't want to talk about it again. He'd tried with Piccolo, whom might not have been the best choice given his physiology, and then he told Erasa about what happened, and neither were able to offer any helpful advice. Erasa's reaction had been so odd, too, thinking back. Gohan was simply lost as to what her involvement in all this could be. It didn't make any sense.

Sitting back straight on his chair, the boy heaved a deep sigh, not quite ready to look up at his mother just yet.

He swallowed. Would his mom be able to help? Should he tell her about Videl?

"Gohan," Chichi said, her voice soft and sympathetic. She gave his knee a squeeze, encouraging him to open up to her. "I'm your mom, and I love you. You can tell me anything."

His hand reached behind his head, scratching at that constant itch at the base of his neck. At long last, Gohan turned to Chichi. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, still hesitant to speak about his love life to his mother.

"What is it?" she asked gently. She took her hand from his knee and put it on his cheek, looking deeply into his eyes. "Talk to me, Sweetie. I want to help you."

He swallowed again, gathering his courage. "Okay…" Gohan sighed once more, this time in resignation. "I… I've fallen in love, Mom… and got my heart broken for my trouble."

H saw her eyes well up before she pulled him in her arms, holding him tight. "Oh, my poor baby… And here I thought everything was going well at school… Why haven't you told me?"

Gohan closed his eyes, letting some tension leave his muscles in her motherly embrace. "No offense, Mom, but you wouldn't be my first choice to talk about girls."

His joke made her chuckle slightly. "I get it. It's embarrassing. I'd be mortified, talking about my love life to your grandfather, that's for sure."

They pulled back from the hug, sharing small smiles. Chichi ran her hand through his hair, a wistful glint in her eyes. "You've grown up so fast… How are you already old enough to fall in love?"

She sighed, pulling her hand back, and faced him fully, a slight frown forming on her brow.

"So, tell me. What happened?"

And he did. He told her everything, how he met Videl, how he slowly but surely fell for her, how he tried to kiss her on his birthday, and how she rejected him… And then he told his mother everything that followed, up to their last goodbyes at the library.

A thoughtful frown had taken over Chichi's features. She stayed silent well after he was done telling her everything, and Gohan had a feeling she understood something that evaded him.

"What is it?" he asked her, fidgeting in his seat. Her silence was making him edgy.

"It's about what Videl told you… How she would be betraying her best friend if she accepted your feelings."

Gohan couldn't help the rush of hope welling up inside of him. Could it be…? Did his mother figure out what he'd been racking his brain about ever since Videl uttered those words? Did she actually understand what Videl meant by that? Was he finally going to know how Erasa fit into all this?

"Do you know what she meant, then? Because I'm completely lost…"

"Well," Chichi started slowly, her eyes shifting to the side for a moment before turning to him again, "I don't know if I'm correct, but perhaps Erasa has feelings for you, and because Videl doesn't want to hurt her, she'd rather not be with the boy her best friend likes. Does that make sense to you? Do you think that might be it?"

Gohan stared at his mom, his mouth gaping, his eyes wide open. She… She figured it out… Just like that. Was it a girl thing? O was he actually _that_ clueless? How did she do that so easily? She had to be right – it all made perfect sense. It was the only explanation possible. Why else would accepting Gohan's feelings be betraying Erasa? It fit perfectly.

No, wait… Wait a minute… Erasa… _Erasa_ liked him? Like, _liked_ him?

Was he really that blind? Was it true? How could he have missed it? Was it really true? _Erasa_? Erasa _liked_ him? _Him_? Could it be true? How did he not see anything? He just couldn't believe Erasa, his very first friend at school; Erasa, whom he never even considered as anything more than a good friend – was this for real? _Erasa_?

And then the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Erasa… Erasa liked him. Videl wouldn't betray her best friend. Videl did love him, but because Erasa liked him, she couldn't allow herself to be with him. They couldn't be together because Videl was too loyal a friend and wouldn't knowingly hurt Erasa by accepting his feelings.

Was he actually that blind? He wondered again. He just didn't get it. How could he have not seen anything at all when it'd been right under his nose all along? His brow furrowed in concentration, remembering the times he hung out with Erasa, and tried to figure out what he'd been missing. So when she touched his arm at times, it wasn't just her being friendly? Her sweet smiles, her attitude towards him… He'd always thought Erasa was just an overly friendly person; she sure seemed like the type. Did she act towards him any differently than to others? Could it have been so obvious that his mother figured it out right off the bat without even meeting the person concerned?

"So it's hopeless then," he whispered, covering his eyes with his hand. "Videl's never going to betray Erasa… And that's that."

Something occurred to him. His breath hitched in realization. So that was why… Erasa's reaction the other day, when he told her what happened between him and Videl. Gohan winced. Of course she would be shocked to hear that the boy she liked had confessed to her best friend.

He was an idiot. A blind, clueless idiot. Because of him, Erasa was probably as hurt as he was right now. Everything happened because he couldn't get a hold of his feelings for Videl… If he hadn't tried to kiss her on his birthday, if he hadn't messed it all up back then, none of this would have happened. Videl would still be his friend and his secret crush, nobody would have shed a single tear, and the three of them would have continued to be friends and lived happily in blissful ignorance.

His eyes unfocused as he recalled one particular instance. It'd rained really hard after school, and most of the students had been waiting inside until the rain stopped. Gohan wouldn't have had minded going home in the rain, but it had given him an excuse to stay longer in the library and hang out with Videl. It had been just the two of them, talking quietly in the library, sharing smiles and stories they had read.

Her eyes had sparkled in that special way as she looked at him, leaning closer to him. Her peachy scent had washed over him, and he'd closed his eyes in content, listening to her low voice, letting her enchanting, peachy scent wash over him.

It had happened before his birthday; before he'd gone and ruined their relationship.

Gohan wanted to go back to that time. He wanted to go back to that wonderful intimacy they used to share. He wanted Videl to look at him that way again, her gorgeous blue eyes focused only on him. He couldn't stand the idea that she wouldn't smile at him again, wouldn't even look at him or talk to him again.

But that was never going to happen. It was hopeless. Utterly, painfully hopeless.

Was his heart ever going to mend?

"No, Gohan, it's not hopeless," his mother said firmly. "You don't have feelings for Erasa, do you?"

He frowned. Things would have been easier if he did. "No, I don't."

"Well, then she'll just have to get over you and move on. You can't put your own happiness on hold because it might hurt somebody else's feelings. It's not like you were going to go out with her just because Videl rejected you. Erasa never had a chance with you, and the sooner she gets that and finds someone else to be with, the better it'll be for the three of you."

He sighed. "I don't know… If I were in her situation, if Videl didn't share my feelings, I don't know if I could get over her…"

"Well, I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but it's not hopeless, Gohan." She cupped his cheek and offered him an encouraging smile. "I'm sure you and Videl will get together eventually. Erasa will get over you."

"So I have to wait until she's over me? That's it?"

"That, or you talk to her and tell her how you feel about Videl. I'm sure she's a reasonable girl. She's not going to push two people who love each other apart for her own sake, especially if she cares about both of you."

Gohan swallowed. This sounded too good to be true. If it were that easy, why hadn't Videl told Erasa about what happened between them? Surely there must be a reason she couldn't admit to her best friend that they both had feelings for the same boy, right?

"It won't be easy," Chichi said again, a grave expression on her face as she nodded her head. "And Erasa will hurt a lot, but in the end, she was always going to hurt because you weren't going to grow to like her in that way."

His mother was making a lot of sense. Gohan swallowed. He wanted to hope, he wanted to believe this was possible. He wanted to be with the girl he loved. He wanted to fight for her.

But… Was it fair if it meant hurting their dear friend in the process?

ooOoo

This was a bad idea. He should've just waited for Monday and talk to Videl then. But his impatience got to him. Gohan didn't want to wait another second. He wanted to be with Videl. His mother was right; he was never going to like Erasa as more than a friend, so what was the point of making all three of them miserable with this situation? Surely Videl would see it that way too, right?

But she had her date tonight. And she still wasn't home from it. Gohan impatiently looked at his watch for the umpteenth time, pursing his lips at the late hour. It was already past eleven o'clock. Where was she? Why wasn't she back yet?

He felt a painful, wrenching tug in his chest, as a horrible thought crept to his mind. What if she wasn't going to be back? What if… What if she… Gohan swallowed hard, each of his heartbeats throbbing torturously as his imagination worked against him.

What if Videl was spending the night with her date?

His throat tightened and suddenly he was having trouble breathing. He put his hand on the wall behind which he was hiding, to steady himself, feeling dizzy with the heartbreaking, hurtful thought that his precious Videl, the girl he loved, might be…

No. She couldn't be. Could she? No way, not Videl. It was only the first date. She wasn't that kind of girl. But what if it went too well…? What if the other guy seduced her and they ended up…

No, no, no, no. No! He could not stand the idea. She couldn't. She loved _him_. He knew she did; he felt it when they kissed, when they held each other, when she cried for him… This couldn't be happening.

He clutched at his heart. It hurt so much. Just the thought of Videl with some other guy… If only he had figured out about Erasa sooner, if only he had talked to his mother earlier, he wouldn't have let Videl go on a date with another boy. He could have talked to her, they could've found a way to be together, and Videl wouldn't be doing god knows what with god knows who.

He shut his eyes tightly. Gohan felt like thousands and thousands of needles were playing darts with his heart as the target. It was the worst kind of pain, including all the times he'd been close to dying. At least then, he could be healed. At least then, it was fixable; he knew the pain wouldn't last, that it'd go away eventually.

Now, however…

It just hurt so much. Was he really asking for too much? Did he not deserve some happiness after what he sacrificed for the world? Couldn't he even be with the girl he loved more than anything?

It just wasn't fair. Why was Videl on a date with another guy? It should've been him. She should've chosen _him_.

The sound of an engine made him look up. Relief washed over Gohan as he spotted the motorbike from the distance. Videl was finally back. His stomach churned, however, when he noticed the guy who was riding the motorbike, and Videl, behind him, holding him about the waist.

They pulled up, and the boy helped Videl off of the bike. Gohan watched their exchange with a tight knot in his gut as the guy hugged Videl.

Damn it. It should've been him.

The guy said something in a low tone, but Gohan couldn't hear anything from his spot. Videl smiled and replied something… And then… And then…

 _NO!_ His mind screamed in despair and outrage. _GET AWAY FROM HER! NO!_

He was leaning in, going for a kiss… and Videl wasn't pulling away. Gohan turned away from the couple and buried his face into his hands. His heart couldn't stand the sight of them. They were actually kissing… Videl was kissing another guy. She'd already replaced him, forgotten about him. And he felt like dying.

This couldn't be happening. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Videl was supposed to be with _him_. He should have been the only one allowed to kiss her.

Letting out a shaky breath, Gohan reluctantly turned his gaze towards the pair again. At least they were done kissing now. The other guy seemed to be frowning slightly, but Videl was still smiling at him.

x

 _It's only the first date,_ Videl kept telling herself. _Sparks aren't going to fly right away._

She pushed back the little voice in her mind, far, far away in the back of her head; the one who kept whispering to her the whole night, about how Gohan had been able to make her feel like a puddle of goo right from the start. How he was so much more fun than Reece, and funnier, and more interesting, and smarter, and wittier. How he was much more adorable, had a much cuter smile.

She'd kept comparing Gohan and Reece the whole night. _The whole… friggin'… night._ Every time Reece did something, said something, or smiled at her… Every single time anything happened, she would imagine what Gohan would have done, how he would have reacted, or what kind of smile would be on his handsome face.

 _The whole freaking night._ UGH.

Reece had been so sweet on their date, too. He'd taken her out to a very nice restaurant. Nothing too fancy, but very nice indeed. They had dined out in the dim light of the terrace, and had a very good time together. And yet, she simply didn't feel the little spark that should have happened. When Reece would hold her hand, or touch her arm; when he would move close to her, or when he hugged her just now.

Nothing. She felt nothing. Not even the tiniest little tingle.

She wondered if Reece couldn't feel a thing either, or if, on the contrary, he did feel something. If he did, maybe with time he could transfer his feelings to her. Sometimes attraction needed time too, right? She just needed to be patient, and surely, sooner or later, she'd finally get over Gohan. She'd finally stop thinking about him all the time and stop comparing him with every little thing she saw in Reece. She just needed time.

She hated that she was using Reece like this. He was a genuinely good guy, and she couldn't even stop thinking about Gohan for two seconds

"Well, uh, good night, Videl," Reece said softly, an awkward smile on his lips. His bright green eyes gleamed in the light of the street lamps. Gohan's black, gentle eyes would've looked much nicer in the dim light, she mused.

Forcing her thoughts away from Gohan for the umpteenth time that night, she nodded her head. "Good night, Reece. I had a very nice time."

"Does that mean I get another date?" he asked, grinning hopefully.

She chuckled. "Sure, why not. I had fun tonight."

"Sweet," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Gohan wouldn't say 'sweet', thought Videl distractedly. _Gohan is off limits, dammit!_ Screamed her mind in retort.

"Call me," she said, and then turned away to walk through the gates, across the pathway and to her front door.

A strange feeling raised the hair at the back of her neck and she suddenly stopped, looking around swiftly. She caught sight of Reece, still standing at the same spot and waving at her with a broad smile. She waved back distractedly, her eyes looking left and right, the uneasy feeling still not leaving her.

She felt she was being watched – and Videl always trusted her instinct. She _knew_ someone was watching her. But she couldn't see anyone, and eventually she unlocked the front door and walked inside.

She hadn't expected her father to wait on her. She barely saw him at all, usually. It was a wonder, indeed, that he'd noticed her absence. Well, he did not look happy, to say the least.

Not that she cared.

"Who was that?" he asked in barely contained resentment.

"None of your business."

Her father sputtered indignantly and started yelling at her. But Videl simply walked past him to go to her room. She was stopped, however, as the man caught her forearm.

"Don't just brush me off like that, young lady," he said angrily, gritting his teeth. "I'm your father, and you can't act as you like while you live under _my_ roof, use the jet copter that _I_ gave you, and not to mention all the money you want which _I_ earned."

She broke free of his hold – in surprising ease, too – and glowered darkly at him. Her own resentment, which had been growing steadily for seven years, was finally bursting out.

"That _you_ earned? _Really_?" She scoffed indignantly, her face contorting in a repulsed sneer. "And how, exactly, did you earn all that money, hm? Remind me, _Father_ ," she spat the word in disgust, "remind me what you did to become so famous and wealthy."

She saw him open his mouth to retort something, but then a flash of understanding flickered in his eyes; something hit him, and he suddenly turned white as a sheet. He opened his mouth and closed it several times, resembling a dying fish, his eyes wide open in shock and dread.

Videl narrowed her eyes to slits, her lips tightly pursed. "I'm ashamed to be your daughter," she whispered, before turning on her heels and walking away.

She'd finally said it. After seven years of holding it in, of keeping herself from blurting out that _she knew_ … It was now out in the open, and there was no going back. Her father had realized what she meant. That she knew he was a liar, a fraud, a fake. That he had lied to the whole world so that he could be worshipped like a god.

He now knew how much she resented what he'd done.

She vaguely heard him try to hold her back, faintly, letting out a pained whimper. She forced herself not to feel bad for him. He had no right for her compassion; he'd lost that right the moment he'd made her an accomplice of his horrible, hateful lie.

She collapsed onto her bed and hugged her pillow close to her chest. Her eyes stung, and she closed them. A few tears slid out from beneath her closed lids, and Videl let out a quiet sob.

Seven years ago, before the Cell Games, both her and her father had respectively, and rightfully, won their category of the World Martial Arts Tournament. That day, her father treated her to the most luxurious and expensive restaurant, telling her how proud he was of her, how he couldn't be happier that she was following in his footsteps. How her mother would've be so proud, too, seeing her with the Junior Champion Belt when she was only nine years old. How he was sure that she was watching over them and celebrating their victory, too, up in heaven.

How he was the happiest man ever, and that he couldn't ask for more.

 _Then why, Daddy,_ thought Videl helplessly, more silent tears staining her sheets. _Why_ _did you need to lie to get so much more?_

She wished she actually didn't care. But more than anything, she wished for her daddy back. She wanted the man of that special day to come back; the loving, honest dad she'd looked up to with undying admiration, and who actually deserved it.

She wished she could stop caring about him.

She felt so lonely and miserable. She blew out a shaky breath… and wished Gohan could be here with her. With all her heart, she wished he could hold her against him, let her lean on his shoulder while she cried. She wished he was here with her, comforting her, whispering sweet words to make her feel better. If it were him, she knew he would've been able to make her feel better again. To make the world right again.

She needed his presence. She needed his arms, his warmth, his scent, his soothing voice. His lips, on hers. She needed to feel the fireworks again. She needed _him_ so much right now…

But he was off limits.

She was completely, utterly alone.

x

He had waited some more after she got in her giant house, giving her the time to get to her room so he could go see her alone.

Gohan frowned. Something was off. Why did Videl's aura feel so distressed all of a sudden? What was going on? What could have happened in the brief lapse of time between the moment she said goodbye to her date and now? It hadn't even been ten minutes…

He hovered towards her balcony. He touched down on the tiled floor almost noiselessly. The curtains were drawn, but his acute hearing picked up the sound of sobs.

A tight knot constricted his throat, wrenched his gut. What in the… What could have happened when she got home? Why was she crying? Damn it, he'd given up on her precisely because he didn't want to make her cry anymore. Who was the bastard that was making her cry now? Was it that other guy? Gohan scowled. Did he do something inappropriate to Videl? If so, Gohan was going to murder the creep. Or whoever it was that was the cause of Videl's tears.

He tapped on her balcony glass door. "Videl?"

The sobs subsided somewhat. Quick steps rushed towards the curtains, which the girl drew open in a swift movement. Her lips parted and she gasped when she saw him standing there, and Gohan couldn't imagine what was going through her head right now.

His heart tightened painfully at the sight of her red, puffy eyes, of the wet trails on her cheeks. She sniffed as she quickly opened the glass door, and then she all but threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his back and burying her face into his chest. Her shoulders shook as she cried softly. Gohan moved his arms around her and held her close, offering her the comfort she seemed to need so desperately.

"I… I wished so hard you could be here with me…" she uttered out between sobs and sniffs. "I can't believe… I can't believe you're actually here…"

He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back in a soothing motion, hoping his presence helped her feel better. "I'm here for you, I'll always be there if you need me, Videl."

"I needed you so much," she cried, tightening her arms around him. "God, my dad's such a dick. I hate him so much."

So this was about her father… Gohan had noticed, ever since he knew Videl, that every time her dad was mentioned, she would scowl and try to change the subject as quickly as possible. He'd always wondered what that was about, but felt it wasn't his place to ask.

Perhaps now it was.

"What happened?" he asked, pulling back slightly to look at the girl in his arms. But she shook her head, using her palm to wipe her face.

"It doesn't matter." She raised her head to give him a half-smile. "I'm just so glad you're here right now. I still can't believe it. It's like you heard me calling you…" She chuckled slightly, like she just said something silly.

"Maybe I did."

A chilly breeze made her shiver, and he suggested they went inside. Videl nodded, and she took his hand to lead him inside her bedroom. The simple gesture, her hand holding his, filled his heart with warmth…

She turned on her nightside lamp and sat on her bed. Gohan sat next to her, his upper body turned towards her to give her his full attention.

He cupped her cheek. "Are you feeling better now?"

She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. "Yeah. Thanks…"

He couldn't resist… His thumb brushed over her lips. He heard her swallow thickly. She knew what he was thinking, he was sure. He placed his other hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him…

"Gohan…" Was it a protest? A moan of anticipation? It sounded more like the latter…

He pushed her gently onto the bed, towering over her. His heart was hammering like crazy against his ribcage. Videl still had her eyes closed, waiting for him – willing.

He leaned in, his breath hitching as he felt hers brush his lips. He gently tucked some strands of hair behind her ear, his eyes falling shut as he slowly closed the distance between them…

The kiss was sweet, tender, loving. It was everything. It felt like… admiring the ocean at sunset, or like watching the stars and the moon on a clear night, or like taking a stroll in the forest on a beautiful day, listening to the leaves rustling to the wind, to the birds chirping happily, to the sound of a waterfall in the distance.

He cupped her face with both of his hands. His heart was ready to explode. He pressed his body against hers, revelling in the way her curves felt against him, and the kiss deepened as he slid his tongue in her mouth. She moaned, arching her back, clutching him like he might slip away if she loosened her grip on him even the slightest bit.

It felt like heaven.

He pressed his forehead against hers, keeping his eyes closed, as he tried to catch his breath.

"Sorry," he couldn't help saying, his voice faint and slightly quivering.

"Why?" she murmured, her pants mingling with his.

"I feel like I'm taking advantage of you… You were upset and vulnerable and I…"

"Did exactly what I needed the most…" she finished the sentence for him.

He felt a smile form on his lips. He was afraid to open his eyes only to wake up in his bed and realize this had all been a dream.

"I did?"

"Yes… I was feeling like crap, and you lifted me right out of that awful mood."

"Me? I did that?"

She chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him to her, and hummed in response. He moved to lie next to her on the bed, bringing her close, allowing Videl to lean into him.

He didn't say anything. Didn't want to ruin the moment with any more talks. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply, bathing in her addicting scent.

If only time could stand still. If only they could just stay like this, always…


End file.
